I'm not sure if I believe this stuff, but lets say I did.
We all know the reason Islam has any popularity is because he beenfitted from the Khabib juice that Khabib got from Conor, that Conor got from Mayweather.
This is all a result of Floyd vs Conor, and Khabib vs Conor that came after.
Guys like Ilia or Alex got their fans through just the fights alone, it's a gigantic difference. Islam is finally making a real name for himself historically, but the real fanfare is from the legacy of Khabib, Conor, and Floyd.