File this under press releases that answer questions no one asked. The International Boxing Association announced Monday from its headquarters in Lausanne that it is ready to organize a professional boxing fight for Jon Jones, the former UFC featherlight heavyweight and heavyweight champion. Opponents appeared in the same statement, including Francis Ngannou and Daniel Cormier.
There are a few problems with this.
Jones is still under contract with the UFC. The UFC, owned by TKO Group Holdings, generally does not allow its fighters to accept bookings outside of combat sports, and certainly not those promoted by the Lausanne-based promotion that operates primarily out of Russia. UFC President Dana White continued to refer to Jones as a member of the roster, even though Jones vacated the heavyweight title in 2025 and has not competed since Stipe Miocic’s stoppage at UFC 309 in November 2024.
None of this seems to have slowed down IBA president Umar Kremlev.
“If we’re talking about Jon Jones’ potential transition to boxing, these are the stories we’re interested in,” Kremlev said in a statement. “Jones in the ring against Daniel Cormier or Francis Ngannou, but according to the rules of boxing, these are the fights that the whole world is talking about and waiting for.”
Kremlow added that Jones is scheduled to travel to Russia on June 27 for the IBA Bare Knuckle tournament and that the two will discuss the matter in person.
“It is critical to understand how sedate his plans are to prove himself in boxing,” Kremlov said. “If this interest turns out to be real, IBA will organize an critical event with his participation in Russia.”
The issue of sanctions
The IBA’s role in boxing has diminished significantly in recent years. The International Olympic Committee has stripped the organization of recognition as the sport’s amateur governing body in 2023, and boxing at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles will be managed by World Boxing, which has since secured provisional recognition from the IOC. The IBA continues to operate independently and has organized a number of professional events, most of which took place in Russia.
The IBA is not one of the four sanctioning bodies that regulate professional boxing worldwide. A fight promoted under her banner would have no consequences for the WBC, WBA, IBF or WBO. It also would not appear on any of the major broadcast platforms in North America or Europe that televise significant professional boxing.
In essence, it would be an exhibition combined with a press release.
Opponents
Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, has two professional boxing fights under his belt. He lost a contest decision to Tyson Fury in October 2023 and was stopped in two rounds by Anthony Joshua in March 2024. He has since returned to mixed martial arts under the PFL banner.
Cormier, 47, retired from busy competition in 2020 and has since worked primarily as a UFC analyst. He has no achievements in professional boxing and has not indicated any intention to start one at any stage of his career.
None of the players commented on the IBA proposal. It is unclear whether any of them were asked before the statement was released.
Stan Jones
Jones, widely considered one of the greatest fighters in the history of mixed martial arts, has said in recent interviews that he wants to test himself in boxing, including a potential fight with Ngannou. He has no professional boxing experience. He remains under contract with the UFC once again.
Jones representatives did not publicly respond to the IBA’s statement, which concluded with the organization’s commitment to “world-class, independent and globally anticipated combat sports spectacles.” The struggle currently exists only in this sentence.
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