‘If there is enough money, they will fight in the parking lot’: Kamaru Usman’s manager insists huge clash against Israel Adesanya COULD happen despite friendship between UFC champions
- Kamaru Usman is friends with UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya
- Both Nigerian fighters have no ill will or intention to fight eachother
- Usman has spoken about a desire to step up and try to win another title
- And his manager has now talked up the chances of a mega-fight with Adesanya
The first chink of light has emerged in the pact between Israel Adesanya and Kamaru Usman not to fight each other.
Both Nigerian-born champions are dominant in their divisions and Usman has previously played down and chance of him stepping up to face ‘Stylebender’ due to their friendship.
Usman did concede recently that he had considered jumping middleweight to go for the light-heavyweight belt, but the pound-for-pound king could yet attempt to topple Adesanya, according to his manager Ali Abdelaziz.
Kamaru Usman previously distanced himself from a clash with Israel Adesanya
Ali Abdelaziz, Usman’s manager insisted that the fight between both Nigerians is possible
He told TMZ: ‘Listen, these guys, they’re cool but I don’t think they’re best friends.
‘If there is enough money for both of them to fight, they will fight in the parking lot. I know how people work.
‘This has nothing to do with loyalty, because these guys, it’s not like they’re training partners or brothers.
‘They’re African brothers and that holds a lot of value … but at the end of the day, I’m Kamaru Usman’s team all the way.
‘I want to see Kamaru Usman, before the end of the road, have two titles. I’m selfish, I’m greedy, and I think Kamaru deserves it.’
Adesanya is in a rematch with Robert Whittaker (bottom) at UFC 271 on February 14
‘Israel did not accomplish what Kamaru accomplished.’ Abdelaziz continued.
‘There’s no way. Not to take anything away from Israel. I think there is enough money for these two guys that (they) would fight.
‘I want to see this fight now. I think fans want it, I want it. I think these two men need to call each other. Mike Tyson told me this: ‘If they’re real brothers, they should fight for them to make money.’
After UFC 258, Usman distanced himself from the move, saying: ‘Unless Dana (White) wants to give us a hundred million dollars. Then me and Israel need to have a serious talk.
Abdelaziz (right) admitted that he is greedy and selfish and wants the fight to happen
‘Like, “hey, we want to do 50 apiece or what?” But right now that doesn‘t really interest me.
‘I meant what I said: two Nigerians with belts is more important to me than one Nigerian with two belts.’
Usman is likely to defend his welterweight title against British star Leon Edwards in his next fight, while Adesanya defends his middleweight crown against old rival Robert Whittaker at UFC 271 on February 12.