5 reasons why Kamaru Usman shouldn't venture into boxing

Kamaru Usman has cleaned out the 170-pound division. 'The Nigerian Nightmare' has presented a wrestling puzzle that his cohorts simply cannot decipher. With such domination inside the cage, some are beginning to suggest Usman try his hand at boxing.

Entering the fray as a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter season 21, Kamaru Usman quickly learned how to conduct himself as an exemplary UFC athlete. The Nigerian native secured an arm-triangle choke against Hayder Hassan and cemented his status as the winner of TUF 21.

Upon entrance into the UFC, Kamaru Usman was paired with Leon Edwards. After grinding Edwards out against the cage, Usman earned a unanimous decision victory. The 170-pound fighter's path to fighting for the UFC title was fraught with struggle, discipline, and most importantly, sacrifice.

While remaining unbeaten during his successful UFC career, Usman has ventures outside of boxing that would be more lucrative and a better fit. With a rich pedigree in wrestling, a transition to boxing at the age of 34 would be misguided. Despite his success while striking against Jorge Masvidal (twice), Usman still has work to do inside the caged walls of the UFC.

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#5. Kamaru Usman's strength lies in wrestling

As a three-time NCAA DII All-American and national champion, his wrestling accolades have built him into an offensive dynamo. Kamaru Usman uses his wrestling to set up his strikes, but make no mistake, the potency in his game is a byproduct of his folkstyle wrestling experience.

According to UFC stats, the 170-pound titleholder has 100% takedown defense. In addition, the 34-year-old lands 3.27 takedowns per fifteen minutes. Considering those numbers, a transition to the sport of boxing simply doesn't suit his style of fighting.

With a style the champion has conformed to mixed martial arts, a move to boxing would dampen the strengths that are pushing him into the pound-for-pound greatness category.

The formula Kamaru Usman has found has seen him through nearly twenty MMA fights unbeaten. To recognize his wrestling prowess as the only reason for his success would be underselling the striking Usman brings into each UFC contest.

Even with his incredible body of work in mixed martial arts, there are more enticing endeavors available for the dominant UFC champion. Instead, the welterweight champion could focus on maximizing his earning potential with the skillset he has honed for most of his adult life.

#4. Pro wrestling is more lucrative than boxing

Kamaru Usman would benefit greater by embracing his wrestling qualities instead of diminishing them under a boxing ruleset. The welterweight champion's hands have made vast improvements during his UFC tenure. However, learning 'the sweet science' takes years of practice and repetition.

Conor McGregor was an outlier and lost in a boxing match to Floyd Mayweather. While McGregor was able to contend with Mayweather, the Irishman was unable to learn the ins and outs of boxing in such a short period of time. Granted, Usman would have to absorb the dynamics of pro wrestling, but he would have a much wider range of experience to draw from to guide him in a new endeavor.

As a product who has already mastered wrestling, Kamaru Usman could make a potential crossover into professional wrestling. With his experience gained in the UFC, the welterweight champion has even improved on his mic work. Before facing his arch-nemesis Colby Covington, the two traded verbal jabs in 2019.

With a plethora of pro wrestling promotions to choose from, Kamaru Usman would have the pick of the litter. The crossover just seems more realistic given his athletic background. With American Top Team exploring ventures into professional wrestling, even former opponents like Jorge Masvidal are getting involved in the lucrative business.

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#3. Kamaru Usman has legitimate claim as the pound for pound best in the world in MMA

Kamaru Usman has locked up his spot as the pound-for-pound No.1 in the MMA world. Former titleholder Jon Jones, meanwhile, has been knocked off to the No. 2 spot, likely due to inactivity. Of course, with the latest arrest of 'Bones', it may be a while before we see him challenging Usman's new pound-for-pound status.

The scalps 'The Nigerian Nightmare' has accumulated during his title reign are downright scary. When the world was convinced he wasn't a finisher, he ran through the division like a poker table.

Kamaru Usman concealed his hand literally and figuratively, and when the time was right, he went all-in. The welterweight champion implemented a power jab against friend/foe Gilbert Burns. After dropping the No.2-ranked welterweight, Usman closed the show with his signature ground and pound.

After reluctantly scoring the TKO against 'Durinho', Usman took his newfound power to his rematch with self-proclaimed Miami goon Jorge Masvidal. In their second encounter, Masvidal was the victim of a sizzling right-hand cross that put him on his back in round two. The finish came after Usman teased prospective takedowns throughout the course of the first round.

Once again, the threat of his wrestling acumen played a role in his success in one of his toughest UFC fights. The skills that have seen him join a rarefied air in MMA shouldn't be abandoned for a sport like boxing. Considering his utter dominance in the UFC, Kamaru Usman is in line to challenge the legacy of the great Georges St-Pierre.

Just to be within shooting distance of a legend like GSP is a great reason to stay with the company. After all, Kamaru Usman is poised to go down as one of the best welterweights to ever grace the octagon.

#2. Kamaru Usman would not draw entertaining boxing attractions

Kamaru Usman has gone back and forth with the infamous Jake Paul. However, the conversation didn't seem to last long. Usman has shown how dangerous he is in the UFC, but his name has yet to light the world ablaze.

Since the pendulum of boxing is swinging heavily for entertainment and name value, a fight with either of the Paul brothers seems unlikely.

Paul continues to lobby for a fight with Tommy Fury, so he is seemingly taken in the meantime. The elder brother, Logan Paul, just cashed out big in an exhibition with Floyd Mayweather. Overall, the potential for 'super boxing fights' just doesn't appear to be burgeoning with bodies for Kamaru Usman, but Canelo Alvarez would be of interest.

Standing at six feet, Kamaru Usman endures a tough weight cut each time he makes the welterweight limit. In addition to his muscled frame, the drop in weight is a certain challenge for the Nigerian-born athlete. Conversely, Alvarez stands at five-foot-nine, and Kamaru Usman would seemingly have an apparent size advantage if that fantasy match became reality.

While a boxing match with Canelo Alvarez seems attractive, it remains to be seen if Usman's name recognition will be commanding enough to entice the unified super-middleweight world champion to risk a crossover bout.

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#1. Kamaru Usman risks tarnishing his legacy

As it stands, the welterweight champion is widely regarded by many to be the best fighter on the planet regardless of weight class. A lofty assertion indeed, but one that rings with some truth. If he contends with a new boxing venture, the unpredictability of a new sport leads to questions that simply cannot be answered.

The welterweight champion is poised in the heat of battle, but with less experience, he puts his legacy and accolades on the line if he takes on any boxing venture. During his time as a UFC champion, the welterweight has found success in the set of rules he operates by.

Former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley made the switch to boxing. 'The Chosen One' put forth a good account of his skills against Jake Paul. In the end, activity was his kryptonite, and the Disney star won the match. Even before Woodley inked 'I love Jake Paul' on his finger, the loss did not reflect well on his MMA resume.

A loss to a Paul brother would hurt Usman's claim to being the best UFC fighter in the world. After all, 'The Nigerian Nightmare' has remained unbeaten since 2012 in his respective sport. With so many other avenues to explore for financial gain, Kamaru Usman would be wise to avoid a venture into the unknown boxing world.