The former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou delivered a spectacular show against Tyson Fury. in an MMA-Boxing crossover last weekend. With time, there have been many other fighters who have entered and had such crossovers just like ‘The Predator’. However, Ngannou’s performance was one of a kind. It garnered a lot of praise not just from his fans globally, but also from many MMA fighters and renowned athletes, including his foe Jon Jones on Twitter.
However, the things between ‘The Predator’ and Jones were not always this lovely. The two fighters have a shared rivalry that dates back to 2021 when Ngannou had a title win over Stipe Miocic.
Since then, Jones has been calling out Ngannou for a fight. But things have just not materialized and the Cameroonian-French fighter left the UFC. Despite the rivalry, Jones couldn’t stop praising Ngannou in his recent fight against Fury.
‘Bones’ was recently asked by a fan on Twitter to share his take on Ngannou’s performance. The American replied, expressing his praise for Ngannou and how it would lead to many opportunities for other fighters as well. He wrote,
“I thought he did great, I’m glad the fight was competitive. Opens so many doors for everyone in the future.”
I thought he did great, I’m glad the fight was competitive. Opens so many doors for everyone in the future. https://t.co/ESM0pslthP
— BONY (@JonnyBones) October 30, 2023
‘The Predator’ delivered an outstanding performance with better landing punches and even knocked out the British in the third round. The skillful display of strength, however, didn’t satisfy the judges leading to Ngannou’s loss and this wasn’t well received by many athletes, including LeBron James.
NBA Legend LeBron James on Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou
The fight, which was billed as the ‘Battle of the Baddest’, received a lot of hype and intense build-up that grabbed a lot of attention worldwide. There were many other renowned figures, like Cristiano Ronaldo, Conor McGregor, Salman Khan, and more, who attended the event, whereas others kept a close watch. One of them was the NBA legend LeBron James.
James, who is also regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, wasn’t really satisfied with the judges’ scorecard and the final result. He took to Twitter and wrote,
“Exactly why I don’t watch boxing! C’mon man! “
Despite the discontentment with Ngannou’s loss, it is imperative to note that the elite figures have praised his skills, hard work, and unbreakable spirit. Fury vs. Ngannou was a heavily successful event that has undoubtedly inspired combat athletes around the world. Not just this, but as said by ‘Bones’, it will surely open the doors for many other fighters from the MMA world.
