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Jon Jones close to reaching goal of 275 pounds for heavyweight debut
Jon Jones has been talking about making a move to heavyweight for some time. Although he has not taken a fight in that weight class just yet, there seem to be some positive developments recently. Jones has been very transparent about his fitness and weight journey on social media. He is constantly showing himself working out and has been vocal about wanting to put on size before he takes a fight. Now we know exactly how his bulking is going, thanks to Jones’ new advisor Richard Schaefer who spoke with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour about Jones.
“By the way, I talked to him yesterday, he’s 260 pounds now,” Schaefer said. “260 muscle, strong, explosive, and his goal is to go to 275 and basically be the biggest and baddest heavyweight the UFC has ever seen.”
With Jones’ physical journey going well, the only thing that stands in the way of his heavyweight debut is ongoing negotiations with the UFC. Jones and Dana White have been arguing about when and who Jones should be fighting when he makes his way up a weight class. Jones whats to be compensated and wants a title fight, White has been publically bashing Jones for this. It seems now that both might be on the right page and a date could be set soon.
“He was very clear from the very beginning: He wants to fight for the heavyweight championship. And so I sat down with Dana, with Hunter,” Schaefer said. “First, we were thinking about maybe November or December, but he really then felt that he wants to train. He’s the ultimate professional. I mean, I honestly have only seen once an athlete which is so structured and so strategic in his training, and that’s Floyd Mayweather. And I think that’s why they both are the GOATs. One is the GOAT of boxing; the other one is the GOAT of MMA. They go about it in a very strategic manner.”
Champion Francis Ngannou has a date with interim champion Ciryl Gane although a date is not yet set. Perhaps by the time a winner is crowned, Jon Jones will be willing to step in. At that point, he should have plenty of time to be fully prepared.
