Henry Cejudo challenged Tyson Fury to step inside the Octagon if he really wants to cement his legacy in the world of combat sports.
Tyson Fury has long dominated professional boxing, but as of late, ‘The Gypsy King’ has been in the headlines after engaging in a war of words with boxing’s far more entertaining cousin, mixed martial arts. Specifically, long-time UFC commentator Joe Rogan and reigning heavyweight world champion, Jon Jones. It all started when Rogan suggested that ‘Bones’ would mop the floor with Fury should the two ever be locked in a room and pitted against one another.
That comment immediately drew the wrath of Tyson Fury who called Rogan a variety of colorful insults. That in turn prompted Jon Jones to step, offering to put in a good word with Dana White should the heavyweight boxing star decide to trade in his eight-ounce gloves for four-ounce ones. Fury has since confirmed that you will never see him inside a cage, but is happy to face any MMA fighter, including Jon Jones, in the familiar confines of the squared circle.
Throwing his two cents into the conversation was former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo. Fresh off his split decision defeat at the hands of reigning bantamweight titleholder Aljamain Sterling, ‘Triple C’ suggested that if Tyson Fury truly wants to solidify his legacy, he’ll accept Jon Jones’ challenge, stepping through the ropes and into the cage.
“You know who has a chance to change the mixed martial arts industry forever? It’s Tyson Fury,” Cejudo said. “UFC made $387 million in profits last year. Do they have the money to pay a Tyson Fury? 100 percent. Will Tyson Fury fight in the Octagon against the greatest of all time in Jon Jones, and will he lose? 100 percent. But, it’s the chance that he has to live that lineage of legacy with the chips he found.
“It’s not about being undefeated, that’s not what makes you great,” Cejudo continued. “Being the greatest of all time just means, in my eyes, is who took the most risks … I think about a guy like Floyd Mayweather. People call him the greatest of all time, the best of his generation. Floyd Mayweather doesn’t have the accolades or the weight classes that a guy like Manny Pacquiao has done or has won. Eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao. You wanna give me 50-0 or you wanna give me an eight-division champ like Manny Pacquiao, I would pick Manny any day of the week.
DC shared his thoughts on Fury vs. Jones and the difference between fighting styles
(via @dc_mma/YT, @TheVolumeSports) pic.twitter.com/gdkrlSv3jp
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) May 25, 2023
Henry Cejudo Believes Jon Jones vs. Tyson Fury Would Be a ‘Massacre’
“The person that takes more chances will be remembered more than the guy that never really took risks, or really fought people in their actual prime,” Cejudo continued. “Tyson Fury, you have an offer from the most powerful mixed martial arts promoter in Dana White. Will you get paid? 100 percent. Will you get paid more than you have been in boxing? 100 percent. Jon Jones is up for grabs. Jon Jones will fight you. Jon Jones will fight you any day of the damn week.
“My question is: is Tyson Fury all talk, or is he just out there for media attention? Because the only person that I can think about that he’s really beat, and this is 15 years ago, and he wasn’t in his prime, was [Wladimir] Klitschko.”
As far as who comes out on top, Henry Cejudo believes Jon Jones would utterly destroy Tyson Fury, but admits that ‘The Gypsy King’ would have a puncher’s chance against Jones, or any man inside the Octagon.
“Oh, it’s a massacre,” Henry admitted. “Tyson Fury gets taken down, and I know Jones would want to hurt him right away. Put some elbows on his forehead and then eventually either ground and pound him or tap him out. It’s not a competition. But if Tyson Fury does have that lucky punch, will he catch that lucky punch? And I think that’s the difference.
“Jones, when you have elbows, knees, punches, and you can wrestle, and submissions, he’s complete,” Cejudo continued. “The most complete guys. Unless it’s a street fight with a gun or some crime of God-type sh*t. If you think you are, there are promotions out there to prove and see if you really are the best in the world, and it’s called the UFC.”