On December 21st, Oleksandr Usyk dashed Tyson Fury’s hopes of returning to the top of the boxing world. The unbeaten Ukrainian champion successfully defended his unified heavyweight titles with a dominant display over 12 hard-fought rounds. Despite Fury’s relentless determination, Usyk’s performance proved too much, extending his perfect record to 23-0 and further cementing his status as one of the sport’s greatest fighters.

Fury now faces a pivotal moment in his career. Consecutive defeats to Usyk have put a dent in his previously dominant legacy, raising questions and debate about what lies ahead for him. It seems he now wants to move over to MMA and have a fight with Jon Jones. However, a former UFC fighter feels this might not be a good idea.

Tyson Fury given a harsh reality about him wanting to fight Jon Jones in MMA

Tyson Fury fell short against Oleksandr Usyk for the second time, with the fight ending in a controversial decision that left the British heavyweight visibly upset. Fury rejected the judge’s ruling, referring to it as a “Christmas gift” for Usyk. His promoter, Frank Warren, also voiced his discontent, taking issue with the 116-112 scorecards in Usyk’s favor. A potential opponent for Tyson Fury’s next fight could be his fellow British star, Anthony Joshua. However, at this stage of Fury’s career, does it make sense to take on such a dangerous and highly skilled fighter like ‘AJ’?

There’s also speculation that Fury might step into the octagon to face another UFC heavyweight champion – this time in an MMA showdown with Jon Jones. Notably, Fury has already dabbled in mixed martial arts, training alongside Jones’ current rival, Tom Aspinall. However, former UFC fighters Paul Felder and Michael Bisping feel this might just be a very bad idea. ‘Bones’ is regarded as one of the best fighters in MMA, and with no prior experience, the champion will make easy work out of him.

Bisping took to his podcast to discuss the whole idea of Fury wanting to fight Jones. He said, “Do you think he’s serious or just trying to make headlines? Because that is never going to happen.” Felder was quick to agree with him and responded, “It’s not gonna happen. And if it did it is not going to end well for Tyson Fury. You know, a boxing match sure all day against Jon Jones. I like your chances. I think you win that. MMA, he’s gonna kick your knee one time man, and then, like, he’s gonna take you down if he wants to. He could play around with you with that range.” 

Jon Jones doesn’t have any boxing history or accolades to his name. However, he is a prime athlete with a high IQ and in-fight adaptability. His crafty skills within competition could definitely pose a threat to Tyson Fury. As mentioned by Bisping the chances of this fight happening is very slim and might not interest ‘Bones’ at all. However, there’s one person who feels that he is the right opponent for Fury next.

Francis Ngannou makes it clear that he is the only option left for Tyson Fury next

Even after a successful MMA comeback with the PFL, former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou still feels a strong pull toward boxing. Following his win over Renan Ferreira, Ngannou shared on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast (episode #160 of the JRE MMA Show) that he hopes to complete “a good four” more fights before retiring. Despite suffering a split-decision loss to Tyson Fury in October 2023, the Cameroonian powerhouse remains eager to step back into the boxing ring. Many fans and analysts felt Francis Ngannou might just have won the fight, and the judges saved Fury from a humiliating loss that night.

After Fury’s last loss in an interview with Pro Boxing Fans, the Cameroonian said that the fight was closer than what the judges had called, According to him both Usyk and Fury were winners that night. However, the former UFC heavyweight champion has his eyes set on a rematch with the 36-year-old next. On asked whether he would like to see a contest between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, Ngannou replied, “What I want to see now is Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou. That’s all what matters for me.” Fury’s record has now dropped to 34-2, with both losses coming at the hands of Usyk. After back-to-back defeats, a lot of people now want to know what will the British heavyweight do next.

Will he hang up his gloves, or could he step into the ring again against opponents like Jones in an MMA clash? Is this the correct fight for him at this stage? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.