NBA player James Johnson thinks he can beat Jon Jones with just one year of training.
The UFC heavyweight champion is preparing to defend his title against fellow legend Stipe Miocic at Madison Square Garden in New York on November 11.
‘Bones’ is currently uninterested in fighting the next wave of heavyweight contenders and is hoping to set up a crossover bout with boxing superstar Tyson Fury instead.
If that doesn’t work out a novelty fight with Johnson could be next.
The NBA power forward is confident that his 6'8, 240lb frame will cause problems for Jones once he spends a bit of time learning how to wrestle.
Johnson is a lifelong martial artist with a black belt in karate.
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The 36-year-old also claims to be undefeated in kickboxing (20-0) and MMA (7-0) - but his bouts aren't documented anywhere outside of his interviews.
“I think I could beat him for real,” Johnson said on former NBA star turned broadcaster Ryan Hollins’ NBA Rookie Life show.
"I rock with Jones. I would need a year. My standup game is great but what we all know about Jones is he's a collegiate wrestler - really good on the ground and that's not my forte.
"I think I could beat him, for real. But like I said with a year of training defence. I just need ground defence.
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“He started learning how to use your hands and your feet - what? - after college? Like, I've been punching and kicking since I was five, or six years old.
"The same thing for me is the opposite for him because he's been wrestling for that long. Learning all his wrestling moves - as long as I can keep him from going on the floor, I win."
Jones is deep in camp and unlikely to respond to Johnson's call out.
However, making a bunch of money to silence a trash-talking NBA star may be something that interests the MMA icon once he deals with Miocic later this year.
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