UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman is looking forward to his summer return to the Octagon—but he refuses to jump back into the cage until his hand is completely healed.
The first African UFC champion underwent surgery last month to repair a ligament damage he suffered in his right hand three weeks before his rematch with Colby Covington last November.
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Osman, 34, has initially set his sights on the International Fight Week title on July 2, although he will only do so if he gets all the clarity from his doctors.
“This is what I want,” the Love Hemp ambassador told SunSport this week.
“But of course, I have to take the necessary measures to make sure that I am ready [for the fight properly].
“And my hand is a thing; these are the money makers. So I have to make sure it’s completely healed up before I go back there.”
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The nearly sterling King Osman had no intention of fighting while being in danger at this point in his career.
He continued, “I have a lot at stake, a lot to lose. Not only the belt and the money, but my health as well.
And my hand job is permanent.
“So I have to make sure I wait for the right time and listen to the doctors here and get back to work when the time is right.”
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UFC President Dana White recently revealed that Birmingham’s Leon Edwards is on track for the next break in the 170-pound Usman title.
The pair know each other very well having shared the octagon nearly seven years ago in the UFC on Fox 17.
Edwards, 30, has not tasted defeat since that fateful night in Florida, winning nine of his last 10 octagonal rounds.
Usman believes that Rocky has improved dramatically since their first engagement, but he insists that his own skill set has also grown in that time.
He said, “Leon is a lot sharper with his hit. He has an excellent hit. I mean, let’s just be honest.”
“We saw that in the fight with Nate Diaz. He tortured him for four and a half rounds.
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“Then Nate Diaz did what Nate Diaz does best, come in there and land that shot and steal all the glory.
“You forgot that Leon Edwards won that fight, right? So I think Leon has improved a lot.
“His wrestling has improved a lot, his wrestling has improved a lot, but I’ve also improved a lot.”
Kamaru Usman is the ambassador for Love Hemp, the official global CBD partner of the UFC.
Love Hemp is the leading supplier of CBD products in the UK and USA. Its award-winning range is stocked by over 2,000 retailers across the UK, giving Love Hemp a reputation as one of the most trusted CBD brands on the market.
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