How My Daughter Changed My World — Kamaru Usman

Kamaru Usman, the Ultimate Fighting Championship Welterweight Champion tells Punch about his career, family and other issues

Who has had the biggest impact on your career so far?

That would be my daughter. She came into my world and changed everything.

How would you describe your relationship with your daughter?

My daughter means the world to me. I once said at a press conference that my daughter was the turning point in my career. When I had her, that was when something clicked and I said to myself that I needed to be the best. Simply put, my daughter lit a fire under me. She is my light. I also want to help her to be the best woman she can be. I want to guide her and hope that she can learn from my journey and always believe that she can achieve anything. I love spending time with her. We have daddy-daughter dates. It is important for me to be present in her life. I want her to remember my significant presence in every stage of her life.

Is she aware of your job?

Yes, of course (laughs). She watches me train, she comes to my fights and we talk about it regularly. I don’t keep anything from her.