Having fought both Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou, ex-champ breaks down potential fight between the top heavyweights: "He's getting better every fight"

A former UFC champion recently provided his take on a potential Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones matchup after having faced both inside the cage. The individual inclined towards Ngannou, highlighting his great knockout power, nonetheless, he described Jones as a clever fighter who excels at maintaining distance.

A heavyweight bout between Jones and Ngannou has long been a dream of many in the MMA community, but the former champion left UFC in January 2023 due to failed contract negotiations. He then joined the PFL, which gave him the freedom to feature in boxing matches whenever he wanted.

The person in question is former heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic, who has squared off against Jones and Ngannou in the past. In a recent interview The Schmo, Miocic expressed his thoughts on a potential matchup between the two heavyweights, saying:

''He's [Ngannou] got great power, he's getting better every fight. With Jones, he's good as one of the best of all time if not the best of all time he's just smart real tricky but with Francis, he always comes with a good game plan but also he's got thunder in his fist so that's a tough fight. I think Jon would keep his distance, do well, get him down the ground but if Francis connects it's all over... I would go Francis just because he's always tearing up, he's doing great and with his boxing I would go Francis.''

Check out Stipe Miocic's comments below (3:44):

Miocic has faced Ngannou twice inside the octagon. The American won the first fight at UFC 220 by unanimous decision. However, in their rematch at UFC 260, Ngannou exacted revenge by knocking out the 42-year-old in the second round. Three years later, Miocic announced his retirement after losing to Jones at UFC 309.

Meanwhile, after two unsuccessful boxing outings, Ngannou took on Renan Ferreira at PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants last year and secured an opening-round knockout victory.

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According to Donn Davis, Francis Ngannou will most likely compete in boxing next

Following losses to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, Francis Ngannou returned to MMA and defeated Renan Ferreira on a PFL card in Saudi Arabia. According to recent reports, Ngannou could face former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder inside a boxing arena after the two have indicated a willingness to do so.

In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, PFL founder Donn Davis opened up about Ngannou's future, saying:

''If I had to guess, I would think boxing would be first given the opportunities he has. I don’t want to say anything about that, that’s his business for him to announce, but he has unbelievable boxing opportunities. So, I think that’s more likely to come first and MMA is likely to come second.” [H/t: BJ Penn]

Check out the full video below: