Incumbent heavyweight champion, Jon Jones has praised the performance and display of his bitter rival, Francis Ngannou after the former UFC heavyweight gold holder went the distance in a hard-fought, controversial split decision defeat to WBC champion, Tyson Fury over the course of the weekend in his professional boxing debut.
Jones, a former two-time undisputed light heavyweight champion, current heavyweight titleholder, and pound-for-pound number one, clinched the title vacated by the above-mentioned, Ngannou back in March against common-foe, Ciryl Gane, submitting the Frenchman with a first round guillotine choke submission win.
Recently forced out of a planned return at UFC 295 next month at Madison Square Garden, Jones suffered a pectoral tendon tear ahead of the New York fight with Stipe Miocic, resulting in the introduction of another interim title into the heavyweight fray.