Latest news with #heavyweight
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Jon Jones makes shock admission about UFC future as he continues to stall on 'biggest heavyweight fight in UFC history' against Tom Aspinall
UFC star Jon Jones has admitted that he has no interest in fighting as he continues to stall on a bout with Tom Aspinall. The former UFC light heavyweight champion, who boasts a 28-1 career record, won the vacant heavyweight title in March 2023. But the 37-year-old has not fought since defending his heavyweight title in November against Stipe Miocic. The future of the heavyweight division remains uncertain as he continues to delay a fight with Aspinall. Aspinall has held the interim belt for 18 months but a unification fight between the two is yet to materialise. The delay has led a number of fighters to call for Jones to be stripped of his title. But the American brushed off criticism and revealed he is not currently interested in fighting. 'I don't want to say that I'm retired because fighting is in my blood,' he told the Full Send Podcast. 'Right now, I could really care less about fighting… 'When the itch comes back, if it comes back, then I'll do it with my whole heart. UFC chief Dana White previously said that Jones had agreed to fight Aspinall but they were awaiting paperwork. He now appears to have lost patience with the American and has set a deadline for the star to arrange the fight, which White described as the 'biggest heavyweight fight in UFC history'. 'If we can't get this fight done, we'll move on quickly. We'll have answers in the next couple weeks,' he said. Jones holds the record for the most wins in UFC, with 16 and is typically regarded as one of the best fighters ever. He has previously teased retirement, saying that Aspinall 'does nothing for his legacy'. Meanwhile, Aspinall has not fought since defending his interim belt against Curtis Blaydes last July. If a fight materialises, it will most likely take place in New York in November or Las Vegas in December. Other fighters have hit out at Jones' delaying, with Blaydes saying he should be stripped of his title. 'If he doesn't fight I would like him to be stripped. We all get it. He's the GOAT, he's great, but if you're not going to be active, what are you doing holding the belt?' said Blaydes. 'I get what he's doing. He enjoys this. He enjoys his name being talked about. I'm over it already.' Almost 200,000 fans have also signed a petition calling for him to lose his UFC heavyweight title.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Curtis Blaydes: UFC Baku fight vs. newcomer Rizvan Kuniev 'doesn't help me at all'
Curtis Blaydes believes he's stuck in neutral ahead of UFC on ABC 8. In his first appearance since challenging for the interim heavyweight title last year, Blaydes (18-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC) will welcome newcomer Rizvan Kuniev to the promotion. UFC on ABC 8 (ABC, ESPN, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan. Advertisement "My expectations for the fight this weekend are same as always: I expect to win," Blaydes told reporters at media day. While Blaydes aims to get back into the win column after losing an interim title bid against Tom Aspinall at UFC 304, the heavyweight wrestler doesn't see the matchup against Kuniev (13-2-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) as one that will get him closer to title contention. "This fight doesn't help me at all," Blaydes said. "This guy is unranked. So, I could knock him out with a flying knee – it doesn't matter." It's rare that a promotionally ranked top-five fighter would face an unranked fighter, but circumstances made it necessary for Blaydes. While Kuniev may not be a name that will help him move back up the ladder, it will help his bank account. Since his pay is the same whether or not there's a number next to his opponent's name, Blaydes decided it was time to collect a paycheck. Advertisement "If you look at the availability of guys, there wasn't anyone available," Blaydes said. "Who wants to wait? I haven't had a fight since last July. I'd like to make some money this year." Blaydes recognizes that Kuniev is a threat inside the cage, but he views all heavyweights as such due to one-punch knockout power. If he's able to avoid that big shot and find a finish of his own, "Razor" Blaydes would love to get back into position to fight for the title soon, but he knows he'll have more work to do. "I would love to fight for the title," Blaydes said. "That would be another $800 grand in my pocket, but it's not gonna happen, so I'm not even gonna put that in my mind. Having that expectation would just lead to me being disappointed, and I don't want to be disappointed. So, I'll be realistic: I'll probably need another fight." This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Curtis Blaydes fighting at UFC Baku for paycheck, not rankings boost
BBC News
10 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Heavyweights call for Jones to be stripped - what happens next?
With the future of the UFC heavyweight division continuing to remain unclear, a number of fighters have called for Jon Jones to be stripped of his Jones last fought in November, defending his belt against Stipe Miocic instead of facing Britain's interim champion Tom 32, has held the interim belt for 18 months and despite a number of pleas for a unification bout with Jones, the fight has yet to president Dana White says the promotion has been trying to finalise the contest, but Jones is yet to commit, teasing Aspinall on social media and hinting at his heavyweight bout in Baku, Azerbaijan this weekend, American Curtis Blaydes said the UFC should take the title off Jones."If he doesn't fight I would like him to be stripped. We all get it. He's the GOAT, he's great, but if you're not going to be active, what are you doing holding the belt?" said Blaydes."I get what he's doing. He enjoys this. He enjoys his name being talked about. I'm over it already."Blaydes' opponent Risvan Kuniev echoed his thoughts, calling for Jones to be stripped and describing Aspinall as the "true champion".With the UFC heavyweight division in still in limbo, BBC Sport looks at what could happen next. Jones v Aspinall actually happens This is the ideal scenario with White describing the potential matchup as the "biggest heavyweight fight in UFC history".Jones, 37, is a former light-heavyweight champion and widely considered one of, if not the best, MMA fighter of all has an overall record of 28 wins, one loss and one no-contest, and holds the record for most title fight wins in the UFC, with meanwhile, has finished all eight of his fights in the UFC and holds a number of records, including the shortest fight time average in the promotion's history, at two minutes and two UFC are trying to make the fight happen with New York in November and Las Vegas in December being the most likely options for the event to take wants the bout, but the sticking point is has been non-committal, suggesting he is retired, saying fighting Aspinall does "nothing for his legacy", and instead calling out former champion Francis the months tick by with no solution between the UFC, Jones and Aspinall, hopes of the bout taking place are dwindling. Aspinall is promoted to undisputed Should Jones be stripped or bring the curtain down on his distinguished career like he has been hinting, Aspinall would become the first Briton to unify the UFC heavyweight is 586 days since Aspinall beat Sergei Pavlovich with his interim title reign being the longest in UFC previous record was former interim bantamweight title holder Renan Barao, with the Brazilian holding the belt for 534 Aspinall has repeatedly called for the bout with Jones, he has added that he has no problem with the American - he just wants to become the undisputed this month White described Aspinall as "the man" and said the Briton's next fight will be for the undisputed if Jones retires or is stripped of his belt, who could be the other contenders? Gane, Volkov and Almeida could challenge Should Aspinall be promoted to undisputed heavyweight champion, France's Ciryl Gane is the most likely candidate to first challenge for the 35-year-old is a former interim champion and has twice missed out on the undisputed crown - to Ngannou in 2022 and Jones the following the defeat by Jones, Gane has won two fights and climbed to second in the UFC heavyweight has previously called for a fight with Gane, but the bout didn't contenders who could face Aspinall are Russia's Alexander Volkov and Brazil's Jailton Almeida, with the Briton recently saying on his YouTube he had been training with the potential of fighting 36, is third in the heavyweight rankings and lost to Aspinall in has won four of his last five fights but suffered a narrow defeat in December to 33, meanwhile, is sixth in the UFC rankings and is on a two-fight win streak.
Forbes
a day ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Deontay Wilder Ahead Of Comeback Fight: I Never Thought About Quitting
Former WBC heavyweight boxing champion Deontay Wilder makes his return to the ring on Friday, June 27, when he faces Tyrrell Herndon in a scheduled 10-round affair at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas. The event is going by 'Legacy Reloaded' and will stream on BLK Prime. The 39-year-old Wilder has not fought since June 1, 2024, when Zhilei Zhang stopped him via TKO in the fifth round of a matchup at Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The loss dropped Wilder to 43-4-1 and put his five-fight record at 1-4. Wilder was 42-0-1 when he put his WBC heavyweight title on the line in a rematch against Tyson Fury in February 2020. Fury scored a seventh-round KO in that matchup. The two met in a trilogy bout in October 2021. That fight lasted until the 11th round but ended in the same manner, with Fury earning a TKO. A year later, Wilder scored a first-round knockout win over Robert Helenius in Brooklyn. However, Wilder's next two outings ended in losses. He fell to Joseph Parker by decision in December 2023 and followed that with the loss to Zhang. Wilder's run as WBC champ lasted from 2015 through 2020. He defended his crown 10 times before the loss to Fury. The two had met for the first time in December 2018, with that fight ending in a split draw. Wilder left the ring after the loss to Zhang, a fight he called a 'must win' without an in-ring interview or a post-fight media appearance. Some speculated that he would retire from the sport. However, Wilder dismissed that talk in April of this year. "There were never any retirement questions in my mind whatsoever, because I couldn't understand what was going on with me at this moment in time and pinpoint why certain things were happening," Wilder said. "After the Zhang fight, I finally realized what was going on with me and I immediately took action. I called Shelly, who is my manager, I said 'Shelly, I know what it is now', we shared some deep thoughts that night and I immediately got help for it. "In my mind, retirement was never there because I knew I wasn't finished." "I feel like a different person," Wilder recently told Ariel Helwani. "This Deontay Wilder, he's more at peace, mentally, physically and emotionally. A lot of things that I was doing, I did for others. I was selfless. I took care of a lot of people. You can only do so much for so many people, and at certain times, you can do it for a certain length of time where it's really not [appreciated]. But you don't really understand anything until time passes, until situations happen, and you start lingering around and you start noticing certain things, and you start understanding things. And then you realize, it's time to let certain things go. "At this moment in time, I'm selfish. ... It's all about me having fun and going there and just having a great time. And that's the difference — I feel more free. When you do it for yourself, you ain't worried about letting anyone down, you ain't worried about making mistakes, you ain't worried about anything. "If anyone has dealt with betrayal, you understand the feeling of it," Wilder continued. 'You understand the pain that comes behind it, especially when you have done stuff for so many people. You took people to places where they never would have been without you in their lives, or present at any given time. And then when they betray you, it's like a dagger in your heart. I tell people it's 10 times worse than a heartbreak. But for me, it's just been a domino effect. Year after year after year.' "I've never thought about giving up, I never thought about quitting," Wilder said. "I never thought about retiring. These are all rumors and stuff, and [this is what I'm] saying — people don't know [anything]. Most people want to be first [rather] than be correct. We are living in a world today where you want to put everything out on social media to get clicks and likes to make some money." "I want [people] Wilder is ranked No. 12 by the WBC. His opponent on June 27, the 37-year-old Tyrrell Herndon (24-5-0 with 15 KOs) is unranked. Herndon is coming off a May 3, 2024, six-round split-decision win over Rudy Silvas (7-1-1).
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Boxing: Claressa Shields warns Lani Daniels: 'I'mma lay your ass out!'
Daniels meets the reigning queen in Detroit on July 29 in a bid to make New Zealand history as the first ever fighter to unify the world heavyweight belts. Photo: Photosport If the belt was decided by a war of words, Claressa Shields would barely break a sweat against Lani Daniels. The Kiwi appeared visibly intimidated when trading barbs with the larger than life American, alas it will be fists which determine the true baddest woman on the planet. Daniels meets the reigning queen in Detroit on 29 July in a bid to make New Zealand history as the first ever fighter to unify the world heavyweight belts. But standing in her way is the phenom of the women's boxing world, and Shields was quick to remind Daniels of the monumental task awaiting her when they met at today's press conference. After thanking her ancestors, Daniels shared her gratitude for the opportunity. "One thing my coach has taught me is to respect boxing and it will respect you. So I am planning to come here and win and I've been preparing and I am preparing the best that I can to give a mean fight. And I know it's going to an entertaining one and the only way I'm going home is on a stretcher." But Shields wasn't in a cordial mood, and was vicious with her retort. "I promise you - you said stretcher? You will be going out on one!" she said. "Lani, if you come out there and try to stand there in front of me and brawl with get inside the ring and prove your point, there is no woman in the world that can beat me in a fight, I'mma lay your ass out, and then your coach will have to pick you up, I'm not playing around." Daniels and Shields will fight for the undisputed, unified heavyweight championship, an accolade no Kiwi has achieved in any division. After initially predicting a round seven finish, Shields altered this after hearing Daniels' coach John Conway say they plan to brawl. "I was giving Lani round seven, but from what her coach got there and said today, that done piss me clean off, saying that she gonna stand there and fight or third. I'm gonna make Lani quit. I'm gonna make her throw in the towel." Daniels though, offered her own opinion on when the bout will end. "If we are talking numbers, I think I stop her in round nine." Asked what she has to do in order to finish the champ in the ninth... "I have to make it there." Shields vs Daniels Undisputed world heavyweight title July 29 Detroit
