Remember when Belal Muhammad compared his boxing to Canelo Alvarez? If not, let us remind you what Muhammad’s coach had to say: “We’ve got him the Mexican boxing style. If you guys watch Canelo, all those guys, Belal has hands like that right now,” said Horacio Gutierrez ahead of Muhammad’s clash with Leon Edwards. Since that bold statement, the now-welterweight champion has made undeniable strides in his game. From claiming UFC gold to gearing up for his first title defense, Muhammad has come a long way. But has success changed him? Absolutely not.
Belal Muhammad has always been the underdog in his bouts. The MMA community has always bet against him, but this has built a coping mechanism within him—a relentless intent to prove everyone wrong. And he’s been doing just that since his UFC debut. Now that he is the champion and going to defend his belt against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315, does Muhammad appear shaken?
No, sir, it’s the opposite, “Go back, get away from me again. I don’t—I don’t want the fans, like, I want the doubters. I want the people to tell me that I’m going to lose because it just makes me work that much harder.”
He further added, “Uh, but that’s, that’s why I have the circle around me, right? The teammates around me, the people around me that keep me level-headed. There is no easy fight in this game. There is no easy win, as you know, people will say it, or the fans will say it. So, like, in my head, I’m going against the best striker in the world. In my head, I’m going against Canelo Alvarez. So I got to train like I’m going against those guys. Um, so I don’t look past them, and I don’t take my foot off the gas.”
February 13, 2021, Las Vegas, Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, United States: Las Vegas, NV – February 13: Belal Muhammad interacts with media after the UFC 258 event at UFC Apex on February 13, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Las Vegas, Nevada United States – ZUMAp175 20210213_zsa_p175_020 Copyright: xDiegoxRibasx
Bold words from Belal Muhammad ahead of his first title defense—’Remember The Name’ is confident he will easily handle the Aussie challenger, citing his weak wrestling. However, it would be unwise for Muhammad to underestimate his opponent, who holds an impressive record of 17 wins and only 2 losses. Even more striking, 86% of those victories have come by way of a finish—a stark contrast to Muhammad’s style.
Belal Muhammad has some of the best cardio within the 170 lbs division, and this might help him clinch the victory. However, taking on Della Maddalena in the striking department will require immense technique. Interestingly, in his conversation with the media, the welterweight champion has emphasized his advantage over the Aussie.
Belal Muhammad pinpoints the weakness of Jack Della Maddalena
Belal Muhammad will be headlining the UFC 315 card against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 on May 10 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada. As the welterweight champion prepares to face arguably one of the hardest hitters in the division, he has come forward to note the weaknesses in JDM’s game that he can take advantage of.
In his conversation with Aaron Bronsteter, Belal Muhammad expressed how he would take on the Aussie fighter. He stated, “I think he’s good at just not slowing down, right? He always picks up the speed. He’ll take a beating or take hits and he’ll just keep chugging along. He’ll get taken down and he’ll keep chugging along. He always figures out a way and finds a path to victory. But I just don’t think he’s fighting anybody like me.”
He further added, “‘When you’re looking at his level of opponent, the level of guys he’s fought, all of them, we’ve seen it before where they’ve had a breaking point. In my fights, there’s never a breaking point. And I think that that’s going be the big difference when you’re going against somebody that has a higher level of gas tank than you, has a higher level of breaking point than you, and you never had to drown a little bit. And it’s going to be bad night for him.”
Belal Muhammad likes to take the fight to the distance, depleting his opponents’ gas tanks and making them vulnerable. ‘Remember the Name’ will look to use this tactic to his advantage, but will this work against Della Maddalena? We will get our answer on UFC 315. Given that, what are your thoughts on the hubbub? State your opinion in the comments below.
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