Marquel Martin, the representative of former undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou, claims that a bout between his client and current division kingpin, Jon Jones is still a possibility in the future – maintaining that the Cameroonian’s camp still want to make the bout a reality.
Ngannou, a former undisputed heavyweight champion under the banner of the UFC, has been sidelined from competition since he headling UFC 270 back in January of last year, unifying the divisional crowns in a unanimous decision win over then-interim gold holder, Ciryl Gane.
And departing the UFC back in January of this year, Francis Ngannou was stripped of his heavyweight championship by the organization, having completed his contractual obligations back in December of last year.
Returning to the Octagon himself following a three-year-plus hiatus from mixed martial arts competition, Jones, a former two-time light heavyweight titleholder, clinched vacant gold in Nganou’s absence, himself submitting the aforenoted, Gane with a first round guillotine choke.
Francis Ngannou’s manager addresses a future clash with Jon Jones
And while a bout between Ngannou and Jones have failed to materialize despite both sharing time under the UFC banner during their respective stints, the above-mentioned, Ngannou claims the Batié native is still interested in a future pairing.
“I think it’s still a possibility,” Martin told MMA Fighting of a future fight between Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones. I know sometimes, maybe, cooler heads prevail. I’m hoping Dana (White) somehow sees this. Like, we want to make that fight. Like, lets do that fight. The world deserves and wants to see that fight. Again, he’s (White) one of the greatest promoters out there. We are not the ones saying no to that fight. Just know that.”
“These conversations are not new,” Martin explained. “They are two years at least in terms of talking to the UFC about making this fight happen. After Stipe (Miocic), it was supposed to be Jon Jones [versus Francis Ngannou]. I tweeted something long ago – I literally wrote it down: I said, Stipe, (then we’re) gonna take care of Jon Jones, then we’re gonna go for Tyson Fury – in that order. But, they (the UFC) had their own plans and their own strategy and for whatever reason, they didn’t want to make it happen.” (Transcribed by BJPENN.com)
As for the aforenoted WBC heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury, Ngannou is officially slated to take on the Morecambe native in a professional boxing debut on October 28. in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – over the course of 10 rounds.