Tyson Fury may not be interested in a trip to the octagon, but Jon Jones is willing to meet the heavyweight boxing champ where he works.
Jones welcomes a fight with Fury and is dangling the carrot of giving Fury a massive advantage in the squared circle, where “The Gypsy King” said he belonged.
“I would love it if Dana could make that fight happen,” Jones said Saturday during a red carpet event at Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar in Las Vegas. “That’s one thing about the UFC, we always give the fans what they want to see.
“Tyson Fury is just such a magnificent opponent, and it would be awesome to make that fight happen. I’m up for it, and I’d even be willing to box him. Let’s see what happens.”
Fury sparked headlines recently with a tirade against longtime UFC commentator Joe Rogan, who predicted that Jones would wreck him in a one-on-one contest. That prompted Jones to fire back at the boxing champ, who later walked back his statement to clarify his status as a boxer — not an MMA fighter.
Fury has entertained the idea of fighting in four-ounce gloves, once challenging now-former UFC heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou to a showdown. But a fight between them hasn’t gone any further than a series of headlines after Ngannou became a free agent with the ability to sign a boxing deal. Ngannou had to remind Fury of their history as Jones sparred online with the boxing champ.
Stop talking, Tyson, and come try. I’m already doing you a favor using your gloves and your rules because your limited skill set.
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) June 4, 2023
UFC President Dana White has gotten in on the act, issuing several challenges to Fury to put on a fight between he and Jones. So far, there appears to be no movement on that front.
Fury, 34, was expected to face Oleksandr Usyk in a title unifier, but the matchup fell through in negotiations. Jones, 35, has been linked to a November pay-per-view meeting with ex-champ Stipe Miocic at Madison Square Garden in New York City, but the fight has not been announced.
Jones won the UFC heavyweight championship at UFC 285 with a dominant performance over Ciryl Gane. It was his first fight since relinquishing the light heavyweight title he long held to move up a division. A contract dispute preceded his layoff as he sought a payday more reflective of a boxing star of Fury’s level.
