American superstar Jon Jones has revealed he will retire from fighting after his Madison Square Garden showdown with Stipe Miocic in November – with only a superfight against Francis Ngannou able to keep him in the sport.

In a revealing interview with Fox Sports Australia ahead of a two-week promotional tour Down Under later this month, Jones has confirmed he plans to hang up the gloves after what will be his first defence of the UFC heavyweight title.

The fighter widely considered the UFC goat added that only a blockbuster showdown with the man who vacated the throne, Ngannou, would keep him in the sport, revealing: “That would be worth the risk, worth the money, all of it”.

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Elsewhere, 35-year-old Jones suggested he had little interest in a fight with rising Russian heavyweight star Sergei Pavlovich – “nobody knows who he is” — and also had no problem finishing his career without a bout against New Zealand megastar, and longtime adversary Israel Adesanya.

“If this was an Instagram following competition we’d be neck and neck,” Jones said of he and Adesanya. “But when it comes to our body of work there is no competition.”

Since entering the sport in 2008, Jones has risen up to become arguably the greatest – and at times, most controversial – fighter to ever enter the Octagon.

Yet after 15 years at the top of the sport, Jones has revealed his upcoming showdown with Miocic will likely be his last.

“Right now, my goal is to have one more big fight against Stipe Miocic, Madison Square Garden and then hang it up from there,” Jones said.

“I think the Stipe fight will be plenty for me.

“I don’t think I’ll have much to prove after beating Stipe Miocic.

“I’ve been in the game a long time … fighting for a long time, training for a long time.

“I’m an old guy.

“And I just really want to be around.

“Be around for my family, be around for my kids.

“I want to be able to play with my kids, have a good head on my shoulders, have joints that work.

“So I can see it coming to an end really soon. And I’m happy with that. I’m really proud of that.”

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Asked if there was any fighter – say a Ngannou or Brock Lesnar — who could convince him to stick around into 2024, Jones suggested the former would be the one.

Back in January, Ngannou vacated the heavyweight title and became a free agent following a contract dispute with UFC president Dana White.

“I do believe a Francis fight would be worth entertaining not retiring,” Jones said.

“I think a Francis fight would come with some serious revenue and that would make it worth my while.

“Francis is a former champion and pretty damn popular here in America and across the world.

“It would bring in a lot of money and for that I would be willing to come back.

“Everyone is talking about Sergei Pavlovich.

“And Sergei is a huge challenge.

“But no one knows who he is. In the grand scheme of things no one knows who he is.

“I think (US fight analyst) Luke Thomas said it best, saying ‘high risk, very low reward’, where you could fight a guy like Francis Ngannou and get the whole world.

“It would be worth the risk, worth the money, all of it.

“So who knows?

“Maybe the UFC will come with the right numbers and we can make this Sergei thing happen.

“But as of right now I got all the accolades, nothing to really prove.

“But Francis would keep me really excited to keep it going.”

Two years after hinting that he would like to headline an Australian stadium show, Jones is instead now heading Down Under in late May for a two-week promotional tour.

The UFC heavyweight king will be hosting a range of meet and greets, plus training sessions, in both Australia and then New Zealand.

Ironically, one of the cities on Jones’ hit list is Auckland, the hometown of UFC middleweight champ and longtime adversary Adesanya.

So what chance the two bump into each other?

“I highly doubt I’ll run into Izzy,” Jones grinned.

“It would be funny if I did but … I’m sure there is enough room in New Zealand for both of us great champions to have good times.

“If I see him, I see him.

“If I don’t, I don’t.”

Wish a fight between the two of you had happened?

“No,” Jones continued. “I feel like my legacy, my career has passed his.

“If this was an Instagram following competition, we’d be neck and neck.

“But when it comes to our body of work there is no competition.

“And there is no reason for me to compare myself to him.

“He has done great things and like they say, there is lots of room in the sky for many stars. And he is undoubtedly a star.

“But I feel like our careers are incomparable.”

Asked about Pavlovich, Jones said: “He’s very exciting.

“I believe his last six fights have been first round knockouts which is very impressive.

“He reminds me of Glover Teixeira when I fought against him (at UFC 172).

“When I fought Glover I think he was on a 17 fight win streak, primarily a puncher, not much of a kicker … I think Glover more well rounded but (Pavlovich) kind of reminds me of a Rampage Jackson, Glover Teixeira, Alexander Gustafsson … one of those guys who is kind of a one trick pony.”

And as for going through his career effectively undefeated, with the only blemishes being a contentious disqualification against Matt Hamill and ‘No Contest’ against Daniel Cormier?

“Just one more win,” he said.

“Life for me is about how I plan my next five, six months until November.

“Just living a healthy lifestyle and being ready for one that next opportunity comes.

“That’s really what it’s about for me.

“I say to myself ‘Jon, you live these next few months of your life right — eat healthy train hard stay focused on your goals and you can live the rest of your life as a champion’.

“So I’ll stay focused until November and then I can focus on being a dad after that.”

Jon “Bones” Jones will be taking part in Meet and Greet with fans, as well as, exclusive group training sessions across Australia and New Zealand from Friday 26th May to Saturday 3rd June 2023. Fight fans will have the opportunity to pose with Jon “Bones” and his UFC heavyweight championship belt. He’s won 14 championship fights and superstar Tom Brady says Jon Jones is the GOAT, the Greatest Of All Time!

Tickets in Australia at Eventbrite.com.au and in New Zealand at Eventbrite.co.nz