On July 27, at UFC 304 in Manchester, Leon Edwards will defend his welterweight title against Bilal Muhammad, known as “Remember the Name.” According to Muhammad’s coach, he has developed his boxing skills to the level where he resembles boxing champion Canelo Alvarez.
After more than eight months since his unanimous decision victory over Colby Covington, Edwards returns to the octagon to face Bilal Muhammad, who hasn’t fought since his significant win over Gilbert Burns last May. This matchup is highly anticipated, especially as it revisits their March 2021 bout, which ended in a no-contest due to an injury to Muhammad.
Although Edwards controlled much of the fight in the first two rounds of that encounter, Bilal Muhammad has shown significant improvement since then. His coach, Horacio Gutierrez, highlighted this development during recent training sessions with Muhammad, comparing his punches to those of renowned boxing champion Canelo Alvarez.
In an exclusive video segment recently released, Gutierrez warned Leon Edwards, saying, “We’ve been waiting for this opportunity for years. There’s some unfinished business with Leon. Bilal’s hands are now sharp and fast.” He added, “We’ve taught him the Mexican boxing style, similar to Canelo and Marquez. Bilal now has hands like that, so Leon better be prepared.”
"Coach Reveals: Bilal Muhammad Mimics Canelo Alvarez’s Punching Power in Clash with Edwards"
"المدرب يكشف: بلال محمد يحاكي قوة ضربات كانيلو ألفاريز في مواجهة إدواردز" pic.twitter.com/7IedzWkbte
— mmamag.ma (@jamalsoussi10) July 25, 2024
These comments reflect the fact that Bilal Muhammad has significantly improved his boxing skills and has recently been inspired by Floyd Mayweather’s defensive techniques. UFC 304’s main event will be an excellent opportunity to see if Bilal Muhammad has elevated his striking game to a new level and to face the significant challenge posed by welterweight champion Leon Edwards.
