Umar Kremlev to hold talks with UFC star regarding debut in professional boxing.
The worlds of boxing and MMA have crossed over on numerous occasions. The most high-profile example, of course, would be Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s money-spinning bout with Conor McGregor in 2017.
Yet there remain other examples, too. In more recent years, Francis Ngannou took to boxing to take on Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Anderson Silva has had a number of boxing matches, most notably against Jake Paul and Julio César Chávez Jr.
And the likes of Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, and Nate Diaz have also fought Jake Paul, each coming up short in pugilistic affairs.
There are also times where boxers have gone over to MMA. In 2009, Ray Mercer knocked out former two-time UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia, while James Toney was quickly submitted by Randy Couture at UFC 118 in 2010.
Additionally, there is the one individual to properly bridge both professions in Holly Holm, the only person to win a world title in both the UFC and professional boxing.
As a whole, it is something that has become more and more common as the years have gone by, and we will definitely be seeing more of it.
For example, on Tuesday, Umar Kremlev (president of the IBA) confirmed that he is very much interested in staging talks with Jon Jones regarding a professional boxing debut.
“If we are talking about a potential move into boxing for Jon Jones, these are the kinds of stories that interest us”, said Kremlev. “Jones in the ring against Daniel Cormier or Francis Ngannou, but under boxing rules, these are the fights that the whole world is talking about and waiting for.”
Jones is expected to be in attendance for the IBA’s bare-knuckle tournament next month in Russia and is thought to be preparing to speak to Kremlev about a move into professional boxing.
A champion at both light-heavyweight and heavyweight in the UFC, Jones walked away from the sport in July of 2025 after a 2024 title defence over Stipe Miocic.
Despite a string of controversies both in and out of his professional career, Jones is generally considered to be one of the best UFC fighters of all time, and he would be a very interesting addition to the boxing scene.
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