Jon Jones gives Francis Ngannou credit for almost beating Tyson Fury in boxing

Jon Jones praised what he saw from Francis Ngannou in his boxing match with Tyson Fury.

Making his in-ring debut this past Saturday, Ngannou lost to Fury, but the former UFC heavyweight champion far exceeded expectations against the man widely considered the greatest heavyweight boxer of his generation. Ngannou dropped Fury in the third with a hard left hook, the only knockdown of the fight, and then held his own for 10 rounds as Fury escaped with a split decision win.

The fact that one judge awarded the fight to Ngannou is a huge achievement that doesn’t seem lost on Jones from both a competition and bigger picture standpoint.

“I thought he did great,” Jones posted Monday night on X in response to a question from one of his followers. “I’m glad the fight was competitive. Opens so many doors for everyone in the future.”

Jones’ first comments on Ngannou’s performance might come as a surprise given their history. Jones, the reigning UFC heavyweight champion, hasn’t said many good words about Ngannou since his departure from the UFC ended any possibility of them fighting in the octagon. When Ngannou left the UFC earlier this year for the PFL, he vacated the heavyweight title, which Jones claimed in March with a first-round submission of Ciryl Gane.

Since then, Jones and Ngannou have traded words over social media and in person as to who is MMA’s “Baddest Man on the Planet.”

Jones, 36, could’ve strengthened his case by beating former UFC champ Stipe Miocic, but the Nov. 11 headliner scheduled for UFC 295 was canceled after Jones suffered a pectoral injury in training.

For more on the matchup, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Fury vs. Ngannou.