Jackson: Courage not a problem for Jones
Greg Jackson: “Maybe [Jon Jones is looking for a challenge and doesn’t feel that Gustafsson is the challenge everybody else thinks he is.”
Jon Jones has been getting a lot of flack this week for his supposed ‘ducking’ of a rematch with Alexander Gustafsson and desire to fight Daniel Cormier instead.
Fans and media have questions the motives behind his stance, but coach Greg Jackson believes it has nothing to do with his courage:
“Everybody is looking for a chink in his armor and they are desperate for it,” Jackson told ESPN.com. “They are desperate, like, ‘Please let us find something wrong with the guy.’
“I’ve never heard him say, ‘I’ll never fight Gustafsson again. I’m scared.’ I’ve never seen that from him at all. I don’t really think courage is a problem for Jon Jones. He goes up against the best guys in the division.”
As for Jones’ reasoning for wanting Cormier (15-0), Jackson speculated it might have something to do with elevating his legacy. Cormier represents a new challenge.
Jones, 26, often talks about leaving a mark in the sport.
“It might be a career move,” Jackson said. “He already beat Gustafsson. Maybe he’s looking for a challenge and doesn’t feel that Gustafsson is the challenge everybody else thinks he is. I honestly don’t know, but it could be that Cormier would escalate his greatness more than someone he has already beaten.”