Johnny Walker’s path to a bout with Jon Jones has been set back by a couple of defeats, and now “Bones’s” pending move to heavyweight. But, the light heavyweight contender is abandoning his dream of fighting the storied fighter yet.

Walker still has sights set on fighting Jones

Not long after Walker joined the UFC, talk about how he would do against Jones started firing around. That’s because Walker quickly took out the first three fighters he faced in highlight reel fashion.

The fact Walker is 6’6 feet tall, while Jones is 6’4, also spiked debate about how the Brazilian would do against the now, former, light heavyweight champ.

But, Walker’s path to a fight with Jones incurred a big detour, when Corey Anderson finished him last November. Then, in March of this year, Walker lost via decision to Nikita Krylov.

Well, recently Walker spoke with MMA Fighting about Jones’s move to heavyweight, and the charismatic fighter said this.

“Jon Jones is a great athlete, one of the best of all-time,” Walker said. “He absolutely has the size, reach and strength to move up a weight class.

I’m rooting for him, brother, because we depend on the success of all other athletes and their careers for us to continue fighting, right? I hope he has a great debut at heavyweight when he does fight again.”

“I want to move up heavyweight in the future, too,” Walker said. “I just hope (Jones) doesn’t retire because one of the fights I want the most in my life is against him, right?

But I can’t think about it now, I have to think about my career. I have to get back to the wins, slowly get back to deserving the place I was conquering.

“I’ll fight Ryan Spann now, and then the next one. I don’t want big jumps. I’ll go slowly, fighting people according to the ranking.

After Ryan Spann, maybe a top-10, nine, eight, and move up slowly. Working smarter and with no rush, because we can get there if we’re not in a hurry.”

Could we still see Jones vs. Walker?

So, when you consider Jones is 33 year’s-old and Walker is just 28, it would be silly to say this fight will never happen, for sure. At 6’6, one would think Walker could certainly compete at heavyweight if he wanted.

But, as he alluded to, Walker has to get back on track first and then put a run together. Further, depending on how long Jones ends up fighting, he might have to do so inside the next few years.

First things first, and that’s getting by Spann on September 19th. Spann is riding an eight-fight winning streak heading into the contest.

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