“(It’s especially satisfying) when it’s a guy that was talking trash or was overhyped — those are the best ones when you see them breaking in there,” he added, referring to Brady. “He was 15-0 and he had all the hype in the world, all the confidence in the world, and he was saying, ‘What is this guy going to do? He’s not going to hurt me; he’s never hurt anybody.’
“So, to go out there and beat him like that was the most satisfying feeling in the world.”
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Many pundits felt as though that victory over Brady was the kind of undeniable performance that Muhammad needed in order to secure his first chance to compete for championship gold, especially given his history with Edwards and the potential fresh matchup with Kamaru Usman, should the former champion have regained the title in the rematch.
Although there are some that aren’t fond of his grimy, blue-collar style, which is predicated on unrelenting pressure and weaponized conditioning more than anything else, Muhammad has always stood by the body of work he’s put together, trusting that if he stayed true to himself and his approach, the result would ultimately make him undeniable.
“That was my thought process always — stay the course, trust the process,” he said. “Whether you hate me or love me, you have to respect what I’ve done, who I’ve beaten in order to get to that title.”
