Highlights
- Jon Jones has predicted that he would beat Stipe Miocic, Tom Aspinall & Francis Ngannou, and the latter had a savage response to such claim.
- Jones is rooting for Francis Ngannou to beat Anthony Joshua in their boxing match, despite acknowledging AJ’s long history in the sport making him the favourite.
- Ngannou has confirmed he’s returning to MMA after fighting Joshua, but a superfight with Jones doesn’t seem likely for the time being.
Among the heavy criticism as of late, Jon Jones joined the broadcast booth during the PFL Champions vs Bellator Champions pay-per-view this weekend. During an interview, ‘Bones’ answered the burning questions that many fight fans have posed in recent months over the selection of the heavyweight champion’s next opponent.
“It would have to be unprecedented; it would have to be a crossover that we’ve never seen before,” said the presenter to Jones.
Jon Jones on his next fight
To that, Jones responded by saying: “You know, I feel like there’s a lot of fights that the world wants right now. You know the Tom Aspinall fight still, that’s really massive. Francis Ngannou and I would be really massive, and Stipe [Miocic] to the hardcore fans, is still a respectable opponent.
“I don’t know how the cards are gonna fall; my prediction is that I will beat Stipe Miocic, my prediction is that I will beat Tom Aspinall and Francis Ngannou, so the way that it unfolds is really not my business. My job is just to do what I’ve always done since day one.”
Hilariously, though, the camera then panned to Francis Ngannou sitting in the crowd, who responded to Jones saying he would beat him by savagely saying: “In your dreams. You’re f****** fat.”
Jon Jones predicts Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou
When asked about Ngannou’s upcoming boxing bout against former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, Jones claimed that he wanted his mixed martial arts counterpart to claim victory on the 8th of March, saying: “I’m rooting for Francis to win, only because his story, how far he’s come in life, me being a fellow mixed martial artist. How could you not root for Francis? Francis is a wonderful stand-up person, but Anthony Joshua has been doing this since he was a young boy, and I’m the type of guy who gives respect where it’s due.
“If I personally had to put my money on it, not that I gamble, I would put it on Anthony Joshua. But I am rooting for Francis.”
Jones is the current UFC heavyweight champion, a title that was formerly held by Ngannou himself before he vacated it on the 14th of January 2023 due to his contract with the company expiring, and him opting against renewing in order to pursue other opportunities elsewhere.
Francis Ngannou since leaving the UFC
He’s boxed Tyson Fury and now about to box AJ
Since leaving the UFC, Francis Ngannou has done alright for himself, earning reportedly close to $10 million in his marginal loss against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, where he put on a more than impressive performance, knocking down a man who is regarded by many as the best heavyweight fighter of this generation.
Dana White responds to shocking scenes that broke out in UFC crowd
During the main event of UFC Fight Night, all hell broke loose in the crowd, leading to one fan being knocked out.
Ahead of the upcoming Joshua bout, Ngannou has publicly stated his intentions to return to MMA after this fight, which could potentially open up the possibility of a return to the UFC to fulfil unfinished business with Jon Jones. There are still many stumbling blocks on the course to making this superfight, however, as the dispute between UFC CEO Dana White and Ngannou over the heavyweight’s contract could prove to be an unsolvable issue, but with Ngannou having already received more money from his boxing career in one fight than he made in his entire tenure in the UFC, there is a chance that could help ease negotiations going forward.
Nevertheless, a contest between Jones and Ngannou, as it stands, is not likely to be a fight that will come any time soon, but it would be a treat for the many MMA fans who would like to see Jones’s unbeaten record face the ultimate test against an opponent whom many still consider the true champion of the UFC heavyweight division.
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