Jon Anik believes Jon Jones has already surpassed the achievements of boxing legend Floyd Mayweather.
Floyd Mayweather retired undefeated with a 50-0 record. This included winning world titles across five different weight classes and defeating fighters like Manny Pacquiao, Canelo Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya. Many consider Mayweather as the greatest fighter of all time.
However, the UFC commentator has argued that Jon Jones “pushed himself beyond” the legacy of Mayweather. With a career record of 28-1 (1NC), Jon Jones’s only career loss is a controversial disqualification against Matt Hamill back in 2009. This was when he landed an illegal elbow while dominating the fight.
Jon Anik: Jon Jones Has Surpassed Floyd Mayweather and Joe Calzaghe with His Legacy
The current UFC heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, ruled the light heavyweight division for a decade before moving up to heavyweight. This was where he was able to defeat Ciryl Gane and knockout Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in November.
A unification fight with interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall seems to be next, but UFC commentator Jon Anik insists that no matter the outcome, Jones’ legacy is secure.
Although Jon may not finish his career with an undefeated record like boxing legends Joe Calzaghe and Floyd Mayweather. Jones has surpassed them by constantly challenging himself. Speaking to MMA Junkie
“With all due respect to Joe Calzaghe and Floyd Mayweather, Jon Jones has already pushed himself beyond those guys,”
“Even if some people downplay his win over Stipe because he was 42, I don’t think there’s anything more Jon Jones needs to prove. But there is still financial gain to be had.”
Jones Deserves $30-50 Million for Potential Fight Against Tom Aspinall in 2025
Jon Jones has been upfront about his reluctance to fight Tom Aspinall, expressing a preference for a fight with light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. However, Dana White has quickly ruled out that match-up after UFC 309.
Tom Aspinall has recently shared with Bloody Elbow that discussions with the UFC are moving forward and that it is now “very likely” he will face Jon in 2025. For Jon Anik, the key factor in making the fight happen will be how much the UFC are willing to pay Jon, who is widely regarded as the greatest MMA fighter of all time. Jon Anik added;
“What he wants is that $30-40-50 million dollar payday, which he absolutely deserves. In heavyweight MMA, anything can happen. And in light heavyweight MMA, anything can happen, but the consequences are much greater when these guys are throwing four-ounce gloves.”
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
