Off the back of his spectacular performance en route to a split decision loss to WBC heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury over the course of the weekend, former UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou has been backed to not just beat – but knockout incumbent division champion Jon Jones if they ever fought, according to promotional veteran, Brendan Schaub.
Ngannou, a former undisputed heavyweight champion under the banner of the UFC, made his professional boxing debut over the course of the weekend in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – landing a stunning third round knockdown against Morecambe native, Fury en route to a controversial and dubious split judging loss to the WBC champion.
And off the back of the clash, Ngannou has been linked to fights with both former world champions, Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua in an expected sophomore boxing walk for the Cameroonian.
Receiving praise from arch-rival, the above-mentioned, Jones claimed Ngannou did “great” in his fight with Fury – amid links to a potential future fight between himself and the former UFC champion, following years of speculation.
Francis Ngannou backed to knock out Jon Jones in future clash
And according to promotional veteran and former heavyweight contender, Schaub, viewing of Ngannou’s performance against Fury left him more than confident that he would stop Jones if they ever met each other.
“To piggyback on what ‘DC’ (Daniel Cormier) said,” Brendan Schaub explained on his podcast. “And ‘DC’ knows tought men – ‘DC’ said bar none, Francis Ngannou is the baddest man on the planet. Who’s going to beat him, Jon Jones? I’m on record saying this: I thought Jon Jones would smoke Franics after watching him do what he did against Ciryl Gane. Watching Francis vs. (Tyson) Fury, I’m like, ‘Oh, he’d beat Jon.’ He’d beat Jon in MMA. I think he knocks him out.”
“I didn’t realize how good he was,” Schaub said. “I knew he was good, but I didn’t realize he was this talented. I knew he did a freak athletically but I didn’t know he was world-class-boxing-beat-the-brakes-off-the-greatest-of-all-time good. Who did? This is nuts.” (H/T MMA Fighting)
Do you think Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones ever fight?