With heavyweight champion Jon Jones still sidelined and awaiting a date for his long-anticipated return against interim titleholder Tom Aspinall, every update from his training draws attention. The fans are still waiting for confirmation on what could be one of the biggest heavyweight title fights in recent years; Jones has remained active behind the scenes.
Recently, the former light heavyweight champion made his way to Phuket, Thailand, for training. And during his session, he opened up about a common mistake that he believes shortens the careers of many fighters.
Speaking candidly during a training session, Jones reflected on the impact of hard sparring and how it can have lasting consequences.
Jon Jones Warns Fighters to Rethink Hard Sparring During Training Camps
Sparring at the Bangtao Muay Thai camp, Jones emphasized that the dangers of intense sparring go beyond just short-term wear and tear. “Bones” noted the lingering impact of repeated head trauma. Rather than building toughness, the former champion stated that heavy sparring sessions often lead to a gradual decline in one of the sport’s most critical attributes, which is reaction time.
“I think sparrings should be respectful. When you drive home with a headache, it’s a terrible thing… I think it’s one of the main things fighters don’t realise. The more they spar hard, it’s your reaction time that goes away. You feel like you’re getting tougher and stronger, but your reaction time will start to be the first thing which goes away,” Jones added. “Once your reaction time starts to go, it’s going… So I would stay away from the sparring.”
Jones’ comments carry a lot of weight on this issue, particularly as the UFC calendar continues to stay packed and fighters pursue longevity in increasingly competitive divisions.
His perspective also sheds light on how fighters adapt their training as they age. With a career that began in 2008 and includes multiple championship reigns, the 37-year-old has had to evolve his methods over time, balancing the intensity of preparation with preserving his body for high-level competition.
As the matchup with Aspinall inches closer to confirmation, Jones’ emphasis on preserving reaction time and staying fresh in camp could offer a window into how he’s approaching what may be one of the final chapters in his career. However, with the angst of fans increasing due to the delay, many are considering that Dana White should move on with this fight and book other opponents for Aspinall.