Ultimate Fighting Championship

Teixeira criticizes Jones' boxing

Published Oct. 1, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

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Jon Jones has some high aspirations. Some of them, he’s already achieved. For example, at age 26, he’s already set a record for most UFC title defenses in what has historically proven to be the UFC’s toughest division, light-heavyweight. He’s also earned blue-chip sponsorships with Nike and Gatorade.

The long-reigning champion raised some eyebrows in the days before his UFC 165 matchup with Alexander Gustafsson when he threw out another potential goal. He wants to fight one of the Klitschko brothers in a straight boxing match. He made the statement in multiple interviews, including one with FOX LA.

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"So yeah, a lot of people may think I'm crazy for even thinking about it but the only limitations are the ones we put on ourselves and I just don't believe in limiting myself,” he said then.

Apparently not. Six-foot-seven Vitali Klitschko is 45-2 overall with 41 knockouts, while his younger brother Wladimir is 60-3 with 51 KO’s. Jones would no doubt be a decided underdog in such a matchup.

Count his next challenger Glover Teixeira, himself a boxing fan, among those who scratched his head at the whole thing.

“I don’t know man. It’s just one of those things. Just boxing? I think anyone in the UFC can beat a Klitschko in MMA. It’d be an easy fight,” he told FOX Sports. “In boxing I think it’s weird because Jones is not even a boxer. His style is good with the knees and elbows, but no, I don’t think he’d be good in boxing.”

For what it’s worth, Jones did out-land Gustafsson in striking 134-110, though 45 of those were to the legs.

Teixeira gets a chance to prove his own striking superiority when he faces off with Jones in a bout tentatively scheduled for Feb. 1, 2014.

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