UFC

JON JONES is open to a dust-up with Tyson Fury – and he’s even willing to enter the boxing world to get his hands on The Gypsy King.A fantasy clash between the UFC and WBC heavyweight champions became the talk of combat sports fans last month after Joe Rogan ruled out Fury’s chances of victory.
UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has set his sights on Tyson FuryCredit: Getty
The Gypsy King refuses to fight Bones in mixed martial artsCredit: GETTY
Jones is hopeful UFC president Dana White can make the fightCredit: GETTY
UFC president Dana White entertained the crossover bout last month, much to the surprise of many.
And pound-for-pound king Jones admits he’d jump at the opportunity to trade leather with the Brit bruiser.
During a red carpet event in Las Vegas last weekend, he said: “I would love it if Dana could make that fight happen.
“That’s one thing about the UFC, we always give the fans what they want to see.”
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Jones, 35, has the utmost respect for the undefeated Fury – so much he’d want to test himself against the Wythenshawe warrior in the squared circle.
He continued: “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.”
The ring is seemingly the only place the pair will ever throw down as Fury has no interest in trying his hand at mixed martial arts – despite numerous teases down the years.
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He wrote in an Instagram story: “If you guys want to fight me it’s got to be under boxing rules.
“I don’t roll round the floor, I stand up and punch.”
Fury, 34, is currently without an opponent following the collapse of his historic undisputed clash with Oleksandr Usyk earlier this year.
But the pair could throw down in a multi-million December dust-up in Saudi Arabia.
UFC Hall of Famer Jones, meanwhile, hasn’t set foot inside the octagon since returning from a three-year lay-off against Ciryl Gane in March.
Bones claimed the vacant heavyweight title with ease, submitting the Frenchman in just under two minutes to become a two-division champion.
The UFC brass are hoping to have Jones return to action in November at Madison Square Garden, the venue for their penultimate pay-per-view event of the year – UFC 295. More

DEONTAY WILDER wants to fight Francis Ngannou in boxing AND MMA – warning of his power in the tiny 4oz gloves. Ngannou walked out on the UFC as heavyweight champion to sign for rivalling promotional The Professional Fighters League.
Deontay Wilder wants to fight rancis Ngannou in boxing and MMACredit: Getty Images – Getty
Francis Ngannou is signed to PFLCredit: @francis_ngannou
And the Cameroonian has also teased a mega-money move into boxing having held talks to fight Wilder.
But the former WBC heavyweight world champion is ready to return the favour as part of a two-bout deal in the ring and cage.
Wilder told SunSport: “I would love it. I would love it very much so, just to show the competitive side.
“If he crosses over and comes where I am, I can come over and cross over to where he is.
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“Both are both worlds. I think it would be more interesting, not only to us but for the fans as well just to see it.
“Because that hasn’t happened yet, we’ve seen a lot of MMA guys come over and you’ve seen a couple of boxers come over but you’ve never seen the back and forth. I think it would be very interesting.”
Ngannou, 36, desperately wanted to fight in the UFC and box at the same time but was contractually prohibited.
So he jumped ship to sign with the PFL to feature in their newly-formed super-fight division while simultaneously boxing.
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And Wilder, 37, took a trip out to Atlanta to watch PFL stars in action, even trying on the 4oz MMA gloves.
It left him brutally predicting fireworks if he was to ever grace the cage.
Wilder said: “I just wore a pair not too long ago just to feel the light weight, there’s really no padding if any.
“They feel real firm and the head is not supposed to be hit in the first place, so to shake the brain like that – especially with the power that I pack – it will be a sight to see.
“It really will, it will be like the 4th of July.”
Deontay Wilder knocked out Robert Helenius in his last fightCredit: Getty More

MICHAEL BISPING said Tyson Fury and Jon Jones could make the same huge sums that Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor did. McGregor put his UFC career on hold in 2017 to cross over to the boxing ring to fight Mayweather.
Tyson Fury pictured at the Brisbane Domestic AirportCredit: EPA
Jon Jones is the UFC heavyweight championCredit: Alamy
It sold 4.3million pay-per-views in the US, with Mayweather, 46, believed to have earned £300m and McGregor, 34, taking around £100m.
And now Jones and Fury – who reign over the heavyweight division in MMA and boxing – are going back and forth over a fight.
Bisping said on his YouTube channel: “Apparently Floyd Mayweather made a gigantic $280million. I mean, that is insane.
“Poor old Conor, he had to get by with just $130 million. Would Tyson Fury and Jon Jones do similar numbers? I’m gonna say it would.”
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Fury, 34, claimed he would only fight Jones, 35, in the boxing ring despite flirting with an MMA move in the past.
But UFC president Dana White is seriously interested in making it in the octagon.
Fury saw an undisputed title decider against Oleksandr Usyk, 36, this year collapse amid a row over the split for a potential rematch.
Meanwhile Jones looks less likely to face ex-champion Stipe Miocic, 40, so Bisping is ready to see the boxing and MMA worlds collide again.
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He said: “Hypothetically speaking, this would be a very hard fight to make.
“It’s hard enough getting Tyson Fury in a ring with Oleksandr Usyk or Anthony Joshua or any of the other fighters he’s talking about. 
“Usyk should be the fight. Stipe should be the fight for Jon Jones, but I’m telling you, just as a fan, I would love to see it. I am intrigued.”
UFC legend Michael BispingCredit: Getty More

TYSON FURY has launched a blistering attack on Francis Ngannou – claiming he could KO the MMA superstar after knocking back “15 pints.”The former UFC heavyweight champion has been vocal about his desire to box The Gypsy King ever since leaving mixed martial arts’ top promotion in January.
Francis Ngannou has been gunning for a showdown with Tyson Fury for well over a yearCredit: ESPN
The former UFC heavyweight champion has called out Fury multiple times since leaving the promotionCredit: GETTY
Fury launched a blistering attack on Ngannou following his latest calloutCredit: INSTAGRAM@TYSONFURY
Ngannou doubled down on his eagerness to fight Fury this past weekend, tweeting: “I’ll be ready @Tyson_Fury.”
It didn’t take long for Fury to get wind of the callout, which he dismissed by insisting he could batter him in a drunken state.
Fury shared a video of Ngannou hitting the speedbag to his Instagram story and wrote: “I’ll have 15 pints and still KO you, [you] big stiff tramp.”
Cameroonian clubber Ngannou jumped at the opportunity to try and further goad Fury into a crossover clash, tweeting: “Stop talking, Tyson, and come try.”
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“I’m already doing you a favour using your gloves and your rules because [of] your limited skill set.”
WBC heavyweight king Fury is currently without an opponent following the collapse of his historic undisputed showdown with Oleksandr Usyk.
Ngannou, 36, is eyeing a multi-million-pound boxing payday following the expiration of his UFC contract – which paved the way for him to sign a lucrative and historic deal with the Professional Fighters League.
And The Predator’s sights are set on throwing down with the likes of Fury, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder.
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During an appearance on The MMA Hour manager Marquel Martin said: “We go back and forth on that all the time.
“We’d love it if one of the big fights present himself, but it seems like they’re kind of tied up. So I guess tune-up fight.
“Francis isn’t a traditional boxer, so every fight is a big fight.
“But I know Francis wants to challenge himself.
“Obviously, you see Deontay out there, Anthony Joshua out there, Tyson Fury out there, we’d love that matchup.
“I think that’s something that has a narrative and a story behind it that’s bigger than just the fight game.
“And at the same time, we want to see who the baddest man on the planet is.” More