Everybody wants to know when we are going to see Jon Jones fight again. And will the reigning UFC heavyweight champion be defending his belt vs. Tom Aspinall when he does.
First Round Management’s Malki Kawa, one of the top agents in sports, was a guest on The Ariel Helwani Show recently when the question was asked. While Kawa didn’t want to give a concrete answer, he did provide some insight into it all.
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“We sit in negotiations all day long,” Kawa said. “Anybody involved wants all these fights to happen. I think it depends on certain things and whether or not everybody wants to make those certain things happen. If so, yes, the fight will happen.”
After an 11-year journey together, Jones and First Round Management parted ways in 2021. He would later hire veteran boxing promoter Richard Schaefer.
The world of MMA – just like boxing – has had several fights planned or in the works, only to see them fall apart at the 11th-hour. Kawa does not want to be the one to ruin anything in regards to the fighting future of Jones.
“I’d rather just leave it alone and not add fire to it,” Kawa said. “I don’t want to mess anything up.”
Jon Jones Has The Respect Of Many In The Mixed Martial Arts World
Like so many others involved in combat sports, Kawa has nothing but respect for Jones. While some have moved others to the top of the pound-for-pound list, he will not take the spot away from “Bones.”
“I’m proud of him,” Kawa said. “The way he conducts his business, the way he stands up for himself. It has been a pleasure to see. He is the best in the world. While he is active as a fighter, he should be No. 1.
“(Jones) has had the toughest strength of schedule of anybody in the history of the sport.”
