Jon Jones doesn’t have a vested interest in Francis Ngannou’s future any longer now that they compete in rival promotions.
That being said, the reigning UFC heavyweight champion still finds himself rooting for Ngannou in his upcoming boxing match, where he faces Anthony Joshua in a showdown in Saudi Arabia on March 8. Ngannou already shocked the world when he knocked down Tyson Fury in his professional boxing debut and nearly pulled off an upset in a razor-close decision loss.
Now Ngannou attempts to build on that performance when he faces Joshua in his second pro bout.
“I’m rooting for Francis to win only because of his story, how far he’s coming in life, him being a fellow mixed martial artist,” Jones said of Ngannou during the PFL vs. Bellator card on Saturday. “How could you not root for Francis? Francis is a wonderful, stand-up person. I’m rooting for Francis.”
As much as he’s rooting for Ngannou to win, Jones can’t pick the Cameroon native to get the job done, mostly because he has a lot of respect for the body of work Joshua has put together during his career.
Joshua holds a 27-3 record in his pro boxing career, including 24 knockouts. He also claimed the gold medal in boxing during the 2012 Olympic games.
“Anthony Joshua, he’s been doing this since he’s a young boy, and I’m the type of guy that just gives respect where it’s due,” Jones said. “If I had to personally put my money on it, not that I gamble, I would put it on Anthony Joshua, but I am rooting for Francis Ngannou. Sorry, Francis.”
Jones also addressed his future while still recovering from a torn pectoral muscle that kept him out of his previously scheduled matchup against Stipe Miocic this past November.
All signs are pointing toward the fight being booked again later this year, but Jones hasn’t been cleared to compete yet so no date is set.
Jones has plenty of options for his future if he continues fighting beyond his matchup with Miocic because interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is still out there, and he couldn’t appear on a PFL broadcast without Ngannou’s name being mentioned as well.
“I feel like there’s a lot of fights that the world wants right now,” Jones said. “The Tom Aspinall fight, that’s really massive. Francis Ngannou and I would be really massive, and Stipe [Miocic] to the hardcore fans, it’s still a respectable opponent. I don’t know how the cards are going to fall.
“My prediction is that I will beat Stipe Miocic. My prediction is I will beat Tom Aspinall and Francis Ngannou. The way that it unfolds is really not my business. My job is just to do what I’ve always done.”
Jones won the UFC heavyweight title with a lopsided win over Ciryl Gane, who also came up short in five-round decision when he clashed with Ngannou in the UFC.
Ngannou ultimately left the UFC as heavyweight champion before inking a lucrative deal to join the PFL, which also allowed him to pursue his dream to cross over into boxing. He hasn’t fought MMA in more than two years, but many still believe he’s the best heavyweight in the sport, regardless of promotion.
For his part, Jones has no interest in trying to sway anyone’s opinion on that topic.
“I don’t feel like I’m at a place in my life where I need to toot my own horn,” Jones said. “I think my body of work speaks for itself. I think my reception from the MMA enthusiasts speaks for itself. I’ll just leave it at that. I’ve never lost a fight. I’ll leave it at that.”
