Gable Steveson, a teammate of UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones and an Olympic gold medalist wrestler, has responded to suggestions that Jones is avoiding a fight with interim champion Tom Aspinall.
It has been nearly two years since Aspinall secured the interim heavyweight title after Jones was sidelined due to injury, preventing his initial title defense. Despite Aspinall holding interim gold, a unification bout appears increasingly distant as Jones has mentioned possible retirement or a potential superfight against Francis Ngannou.
Reports of potential retirement haven`t stopped Jones from training. He has recently been working with Steveson, who is himself preparing for his upcoming mixed martial arts debut. Steveson shared insights into their training sessions.
Gable Steveson Dispels Jon Jones `Ducking` Allegations
Following a trip related to filming a reality TV show in Thailand, Jon Jones was seen in Miami for his Dirty Boxing Championship event. He was accompanied by several people, including his long-time training partner, Gable Steveson.
As Steveson gears up for his first professional MMA fight, he spoke briefly with Bloody Elbow. While he remained cautious about predicting Jones` exact next move, he firmly pushed back against the narrative that Jones is intentionally avoiding a fight with Aspinall.
When questioned about Jones` future in the sport, Steveson replied, “I`m not sure, that might be a question you have to ask Jon… I would rather have Jon do whatever Jon wants to do, if it`s Tom then it`s Tom. If it`s Francis then it`s Francis. Or if it`s me then it`s me.”
He added confidently, “He`s definitely not ducking. Whatever Jon wants to do, he`s going to do it. And he`s going to do it to the best of his ability.”
Jon Jones` Apparent Lack of Interest in Aspinall
In recent days, Jon Jones has been engaging with fans regarding the push for a fight against Tom Aspinall, even seemingly mocking a petition signed by nearly 200,000 people advocating for the matchup. His public comments and interactions suggest a greater interest in facing former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, a fight that has been discussed for years.
During fight week, Jones` responses to Bloody Elbow questions about potentially fighting Aspinall were notably unresponsive. He did, however, make a joking remark that he would agree to the fight if Aspinall attended one of his Dirty Boxing Championship events.
An announcement regarding Aspinall`s next fight is anticipated soon, with speculation centering around International Fight Week. UFC President Dana White has reportedly claimed that Jones has agreed to fight Aspinall, though Jones himself seemed surprised by this suggestion recently.
