Nobody in boxing wants to fight heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, but mixed martial artists from Jon Jones to Francis Ngannou keep beating down his door. Fury says that he has been in talks with both, including fielding a recent offer from the UFC.
How the Tyson Fury, Jon Jones, Francis Ngannou fiasco started
Talk about Fury fighting either Jones or Ngannou has been swirling of late because popular podcaster and UFC commentator Joe Rogan said Jones would dominate Fury in a fight. That set the sparks a flying as Fury, Jones, and Ngannou each declared themselves the baddest man on the planet and tossed challenges out to one another.
Even UFC president Dana White joined the fray, of course backing Jones.
“I have a great relationship with Tyson Fury, but there’s a debate right now about the baddest man on the planet. Jon Jones is the baddest man on the planet. There is no doubt about it,” White declared at the UFC Vegas 74 post-fight press conference.
“I’m telling Tyson Fury, whom I respect very much, if you really want to find out who the baddest man on the planet is, I will make that fight. I will make Jon Jones vs. Tyson Fury in the Octagon.”
Fury claims the UFC has offered him a hybrid fight with Jones
Apparently he was serious, as Fury says that the UFC tendered an offer to him to fight Jones.
“I’ve been in talks with Francis Ngannou for a hybrid fight. There’s talks of me and Jon Jones doing a hybrid fight as we talk right now,” Fury said on a Twitter Spaces audio conversation.
“I received an offer from the UFC yesterday. So, you never know what’s gonna happen. The future’s bright for sure. There’s a lot of options out there, and it seems at the moment I’m still going to get an actual boxing opponent.”
Jon Jones, Francis Ngannou face to face: ‘You don’t want no smoke!’
Fury has been trying to nail down a boxing opponent, but that has proved challenging. His undefeated record and 24 knockouts seem to be scaring opponents away. But if a boxing opponent doesn’t appear soon, perhaps we might actually see him step in the Octagon with Jon Jones.
“We figured out how to pay Floyd (Mayweather when he boxed Conor McGregor). We’ll figure out how to pay you too, Tyson,” said White.
“The offer is out there. If you want to do it, in the UFC – I know he was messing around with MMA for a while there – let’s do it. You want the title of the baddest man on the planet? Let’s do it!”
Tyson Fury talks Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou
Tyson Fury claims UFC has offered a Jon Jones hybrid fight
