Sergey Lapin, a key member of Oleksandr Usyk’s team, revealed that boxing’s unified heavyweight champion is interested in pursuing a crossover MMA bout with former UFC heavyweight champ Jon Jones.
The revelation comes as Usyk prepares for a busy final chapter in boxing, which he says will consist of three fights. Usyk will defend his WBC title against former kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven on May 23. Usyk then plans to face whoever emerges victorious from the May 9 WBO title clash between Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois, while capping his career off with a trilogy against Tyson Fury.
While a crossover with Jake Paul has been teased for over a year, Team Usyk appears to have lost interest in that. Instead, they are targeting Jones to settle the debate over the “Baddest Man on the Planet.” Jones officially retired from the UFC in June 2025 only to then reverse it. However, he was snubbed for the upcoming Freedom 250 (White House card) on June 14. Jones has since requested his release from the UFC, which could open the door for a crossover bout.
“A fight with Jake Paul in MMA at this stage is not being considered. But we are always open to creative and interesting collaborations in the future. If we are talking about crossover fights, a very interesting matchup could be against Jon Jones in the United States. The best heavyweight in MMA against one of the best boxers of his generation could become a very big event if organised properly. Who is the baddest man on the planet?,” Lapin said