Jon Jones touted as unbothered at heavyweight amid UFC retirement talk: ‘Where’s the challenge?’
Jon Jones has been labelled as the best fighter on the planet currently by his former foe and arch-rival, Daniel Cormier off the back of recent retirement talk, claiming the Endicott native is likely unchallenged at the heavyweight limit.
Jones, a former light heavyweight champion to boot, added to his gleaming trophy cabinet at UFC 285 back in March, turning in a dominant first round guillotine choke win over former interim gold holder, Ciryl Gane to land a vacant division crown.
Jon Jones confirms the expectation of retirement later this year
Expected to make a return to the Octagon later this year in a championship defense opposite former two-time division gold holder, Stipe Miocic next, Jones admitted that he would likely hang up his gloves off the back of an expected Madison Square Garden showdown with the Ohio native.
“You know, I feel like the Stipe (Miocic) fight will be plenty for me,” Jon Jones said. “I don’t have much to prove after beating Stipe Miocic. I’ve been in the game for a long time, and in fighter years, I’m an old guy. I’ve been training for a long time, been in the game for a long time. Got some small injuries, and I really just want to be around – be around for my family, I wanna be around for my kids, I wanna be able to play with my kids. And have a good head on my shoulders, and joints that work.”
“I could see it coming to an end really soon,” Jon Jones explained. “And I’m happy with that, I’m really proud of my career.”
And as for former opponent and past duel-weight champion, Cormier, the Louisiana veteran claimed Jones likely feels unchallenged since his heavyweight move – due to his one-sided finish of former interim champion, Gane earlier this year.
“For (Jon) Jones, he’s still the best in the world,” Daniel Cormier said on an episode of DC & RC. “And as you said, he was excited about the idea to fight at heavyweight. It was a challenge and something that scared him. But, do you think that maybe it was easier than he may have thought? He got though Ciryl Gane so easy. It’s like, ‘Well if this is what it is, where’s that challenge? Where’s that thing that scares me?’”
“That’s what Jones spoke about before the Ciryl (Gane) fight,” Cormier explained. “Being scares again, something that was dangerous. Any maybe he doesn’t feel that. Maybe he doesn’t feel like that is going to be his every day at heavyweight. But I feel like I would like to see him continue to fight. I would like to see him fight guys like Sergei Pavlovich. I would like to see him in there with Stipe Miocic. And I do believe that there are some challenges for Jon Jones.”
