Francis Ngannou’s coach pinpoints who would be the tougher matchup between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall

Francis Ngannou’s MMA coach Eric Nicksick has given his take on whether Jon Jones or Tom Aspinall would be the tougher fight for “The Predator.”

Ngannou is currently enjoying the fruits of his labor in the boxing world after nearly upsetting WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. While Ngannou is scheduled to make his PFL debut in 2024, most agree that a boxing match would be the next logical move for the former UFC heavyweight champion. Even when his schedule becomes clear, many feel the big MMA fights for Ngannou would’ve been under the UFC banner.

Is Jon Jones or Tougher Tom Aspinall For Francis Ngannou?

Fans have clamored for a showdown between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou, but newly-minted interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has been rolling. During an episode of “Remember The Show,” Nicksick told Jon Anik’s brother, Jason, and UFC welterweight contender Belal Muhammad that he’s known for quite some time that Aspinall would be the real deal.

“I got all the receipts, boys,” Nicksick said. “I’ve been telling everybody for a long time that Tom Aspinall was the guy, and I think people forgot about him due to that knee injury that he suffered in the London card against Curtis Blaydes. I felt like that was gonna be his coming out party. Unfortunately, it was an injury instead and he was out for a period of time. But, as a coach in the division, at the time having Francis Ngannou, you start to look at the landscape of possible competition as it comes up through the rankings, and I think Tom Aspinall to me was 1A.”

Muhammad then asked Nicksick who he thought the harder challenge would’ve been for Ngannou between Jones and Aspinall.

“I mean, you have to go with the guy who’s considered the GOAT,” Nicksick said. “I would have to say Jon Jones just because of pedigree, history, the man that Jon Jones is and the champion that he is, but I think upside definitely goes to Tom Aspinall.”