Kamaru Usman reiterates belief he'd beat Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in a boxing fight

Kamaru Usman has once again claimed he would beat Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez if the pair meet in the boxing ring.

The UFC welterweight champion maintained his status as the pound-for-pound best MMA fighter in the world after his unanimous decision victory over Colby Covington at UFC 268 in New York last November.

Canelo Alvarez, meanwhile, is back in the ring in two months’ time against Dmitry Bivol at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The Mexican star, 31, beat Avni Yildirim, Billy Joe Saunders and Callum Smith last year and is widely regarded as the best boxer on the planet.

And although Canelo has insisted Usman is only after a payday, Usman isn’t prepared to give up so easily.

The Nigerian Nightmare knows many people are writing off his chances against 5ft 7in Alvarez.

But he still believes he can become only the second man since Floyd Mayweather to beat Canelo.

Usman, 34, told ESPN earlier this week: “See that’s the thing about this crazy thing that we do in sports, and not just sports, fighting.

“No one knows the size of the dog inside you – no one knows it.

“When you tell people your plans; yeah they’re not going to believe it because they don’t see it, they can’t see it.

“They don’t do what you do, they don’t walk in your shoes, they don’t walk in your heart and your energy each and every day.

“No one knows that, no one sees it.

“I’ve said everything, I’ve said it, I’ve manifested it.

“I know there’s a lion inside here [points to his chest], a Nigerian African lion that people don’t really understand.”

UFC champ Usman, soon set for a rematch showdown with Leon Edwards, recalled how fans still doubted him before his fights against Tyron Woodley and Jorge Masvidal.

He continued: “I knew I was going to beat Tyron