UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones is rooting for Francis Ngannou in his upcoming boxing match against Anthony Joshua, despite acknowledging Joshua’s superior boxing record and experience.
Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou are no longer in the same league. They’re now rivals. But that doesn’t stop Jones from cheering on Ngannou. Especially for his upcoming boxing match against Anthony Joshua. The showdown is set for March 8 in Saudi Arabia.
Ngannou’s already made waves. He knocked Tyson Fury down in his first pro boxing match. Almost pulled off an upset too. It was a nail-biter of a decision loss. Now, he’s back for round two. This time, against Joshua.
Jones is all for Ngannou. “I’m rooting for Francis to win,” he said during the PFL vs. Bellator card on Saturday. “His story, his journey, him being a fellow mixed martial artist. How could you not root for Francis? He’s a stand-up guy. I’m rooting for Francis.”
But Jones can’t back Ngannou to win. Not entirely. He’s got too much respect for Joshua. Joshua’s record? 27-3 in his pro boxing career. 24 of those are knockouts. He also bagged a gold medal in the 2012 Olympics.
“Anthony Joshua, he’s been at it since he was a kid,” Jones said. “I give respect where it’s due. If I were a betting man, which I’m not, my money would be on Joshua. But I’m still rooting for Francis Ngannou. Sorry, Francis.”
Jones is also thinking about his own future. He’s still on the mend from a torn pectoral muscle. It put a stop to his match against Stipe Miocic last November. The fight might be back on the cards later this year. But no date’s been set yet.
Jones has options. If he continues to fight after Miocic, there’s interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. And Ngannou’s name keeps cropping up too.
“There’s a lot of fights the world wants right now,” Jones said. “The Tom Aspinall fight, that’s big. Francis Ngannou and I, that would be huge. And Stipe [Miocic], to the hardcore fans, he’s still a worthy opponent. I don’t know how the cards will fall.”
Jones is confident. “I’ll beat Stipe Miocic. I’ll beat Tom Aspinall and Francis Ngannou. How it unfolds isn’t my concern. My job is to do what I’ve always done.”
Jones bagged the UFC heavyweight title with a win over Ciryl Gane. Gane also lost to Ngannou in a five-round decision in the UFC. Ngannou then left the UFC as heavyweight champion. He signed a big deal with the PFL. It let him chase his boxing dream. He hasn’t fought MMA in over two years. But many still see him as the best heavyweight in the sport. Regardless of the league.
As for Jones, he’s not interested in changing anyone’s mind. “I don’t need to toot my own horn,” Jones said. “My work speaks for itself. The MMA enthusiasts’ reception speaks for itself. I’ve never lost a fight. I’ll leave it at that.”