Jack Della Maddalena plans to channel Floyd Mayweather in UFC 315 title fight

Australian knockout puncher Jack Della Maddalena will get his first crack at a world title when he takes on welterweight champion Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 this Saturday.

Ahead of time, most fans agree that Della Maddalena probably has an edge in the striking, while Muhammad should be the more effective grappler.

Muhammad, however, doesn’t agree.

The welterweight champ, who has only scored 5 of his 24 victories via strikes, has previously compared his boxing to that of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, and more recently vowed to knock Della Maddalena out this weekend.

“I bully all these guys in the cage, so I’m gonna keep doing it,” Muhammad said at the UFC 315 pre-fight press conference. “I’m gonna knock him out. I’m gonna go in there and show that I’m the best boxer in the welterweight division, I’m the best fighter in the welterweight division, and I’m gonna show my dominance again.

“I think everything about me is underrated. People go in there and assume stuff, but when they get into the cage with me then they realize what it is. They realize what these hands do, they realize what this pressure does, and it breaks everybody.”

Jack Della Maddalena explains how he’ll out-strike Belal Muhammad at UFC 315

So how does Jack Della Maddalena plan to counter Muhammad’s alleged Canelo-level boxing? By channeling Floyd Mayweather, one of just two fighters to beat the Mexican pugilist in the ring.

“I’ll Floyd Mayweather his ass, take him to school,” Della Maddalena told Nina Drama.

That certainly seems to imply that the Aussie will be leaning on head movement and footwork as he looks to out-fox the champ on the feet.

Della Maddalena earned his UFC welterweight title shot with a knockout of Gilbert Burns last year. Other highlights of his resume include wins over Kevin Holland and Randy Brown. He will be the first challenger of Muhammad’s title reign. The champion won the belt with a wide decision against Leon Edwards last year. He also promised a knockout in that fight.