Leon Edwards couldn’t help but laugh when he heard Belal Muhammad being compared to boxing legend Canelo Alvarez.
This Saturday, UFC 304 in Manchester will see Edwards defend his welterweight title in a highly anticipated rematch against Muhammad. Their first bout in March 2021 ended controversially in the second round due to an accidental eye poke by Edwards, which halted the fight.
Since then, Muhammad, known for his dominant wrestling, has been on a nine-fight winning streak and has been eager for another shot at Edwards. Recently, his striking coach made headlines by comparing Muhammad’s striking abilities to those of Canelo Alvarez, the undisputed super middleweight boxing champion.
Leon Edwards Laughs at Belal Muhammad Being Compared to Boxing Legend Canelo Alvarez
Horacio Gutierrez, Muhammad’s coach, was quoted saying,
“We have been waiting for this opportunity for a couple of years already. There’s a little unfinished business with Leon. His hands are really, really good right now; they’re sharp, they’re fast. We’ve got him the Mexican boxing style. If you guys watch Canelo, all those guys, Belal has hands like that right now. So Leon better be ready for that.”
Edwards was taken aback by the comparison. At the UFC 304 media day, he responded, “His boxing coach came out and said he’s got hands like Canelo. What the hell is going on? As far as the Canelo thing, I think everyone knows… It’s like what the f***?”
Despite the humorous comparison, Edwards is focused on his upcoming fight and his future goals. He is determined to make history as the first British fighter to hold UFC titles in two different weight classes. Edwards expressed his ambitions, saying, “I want to move up and challenge for a middleweight belt. I feel like I’ve got the size [for the middleweight division] and the skill for it so why not chase greatness.”
With the rematch against Muhammad just around the corner, Edwards is ready to prove himself and move closer to achieving his dream of becoming a dual-weight champion.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images and Embed from Getty Images
