Kamaru Usman says his belief in himself performed a key position in him dropping to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 in October.
Usman stepped up on days’ discover to face Chimaev up a weight class in an intriguing three-round middleweight struggle. Usman was a large underdog, however the struggle was shut, and it was Chimaev who gained by majority determination.
Months because the struggle, Kamaru Usman mirrored again on it and shared the next sentiments:
“That was the difficulty. That’s why Trevor, my coach Trevor Wittman tells me on a regular basis that I’m top-of-the-line. If not the very best, at constructing in a struggle. For the primary time in a very long time, I didn’t belief myself and my skills as a result of that struggle, it might’ve been a five-rounder. I might’ve simply mentioned you need me to fly around the globe and do that, it must be 5 rounds. However, I didn’t belief myself sufficient as a result of I wasn’t coaching as I might be if I had a struggle and I went by means of a camp,” Kamaru Usman mentioned on Weighing In.
“So, with that being mentioned that, I didn’t belief myself in that sense. You then get in a struggle and I notice I haven’t fought a three-round struggle in. I don’t bear in mind final time I fought a three-round struggle. So, I’ve constructed myself as much as get able to the place you’ll be able to construct over the course of 5 rounds. So now that it’s not that, it was very very troublesome for me to be okay with that consequence,” Usman added.
As Kamaru Usman says, he didn’t totally belief himself on quick discover, which he ought to have, as that resulted within the sluggish begin in opposition to Khamzat Chimaev. Had he trusted himself, maybe he would have pulled off the upset and handed ‘Borz’ his first profession loss.
Usman hasn’t fought since his defeat to Chimaev and doesn’t have his subsequent struggle booked. The previous welterweight champion is at the moment on a three-fight dropping streak.
