Dana White challenges Tyson Fury: “You wanna see who the baddest man on the planet is, I’ll do it”
UFC president Dana White has insisted he wants to organize a crossover fight between boxing heavyweight champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury and UFC heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones.
Fury, who holds the WBC world heavyweight title with an undefeated record of 35 wins, zero losses and one draw, has shown occasional interest in exploring mixed martial arts.
White sees this as an opportunity to bring Fury into the UFC and pair him against Jones, who boasts a similarly remarkable record of 27 wins and only one loss. While no official negotiations or agreements have been announced, his enthusiasm for the potential matchup suggests he is actively working to make the fight a reality.
Following UFC Fight Night on ESPN 45, White spoke about his positive relationship with Fury. He acknowledged the ongoing debate about determining the “baddest man on the planet” and recognized Jones as the current holder of that title.
The UFC president then posed a hypothetical question, pondering the outcome if Fury and Jones were to engage in a fight. He said that Fury would be a formidable contender for that distinction if the discussion focused solely in a boxing ring.
White’s recent pitch coincides with UFC commentator Joe Rogan voicing his confidence in Jones defeating Fury in a potential fight.
In a profanity-laden outburst on Instagram, Fury responded to Rogan’s remarks, referring to him with a derogatory term and dismissing the notion that Jones could overpower him.
Fury said that no one, regardless of their size or origin, could defeat him if they were alone in a room, confidently claiming that he would emerge victorious without any hesitation.
MMAFighting.com
2023-06-05 10:46
Dana White doubles down on his offer for Tyson Fury to fight Jon Jones in the UFC 👀 “I’m telling Tyson Fury, who I respect very much, if you really want to find out who the baddest man on the planet is, I will make that fight.” https://t.co/Y9OJtlYARw
319
81
Fury, Jones’s future fights
Although Fury had expressed his desire to have three fights in 2023, he has yet to return to the ring since his decisive win over Derek Chisora in December.
Fury’s promoter has indicated that an announcement regarding the boxer’s mandatory challenger is imminent. The WBC’s number-one ranked contender, Deontay Wilder, will be chosen for this role.
As for Jones, he is expected to defend his title against former champion Stipe Miocic, with the potential venue being Madison Square Garden in November.
In his most recent octagon appearance at UFC 285 in March, Jones secured a victory by submitting Ciryl Gane with a guillotine choke in just over two minutes. This win allowed him to claim the then-vacant UFC heavyweight championship.
