IBA appoints Jon Jones as Bare Knuckle ambassador

The American, the youngest world champion in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, has joined the International Boxing Association and will act as a guest co-host at the bare-knuckle boxing tournament in Saint Petersburg on Saturday.

Jones, 38, made his professional mixed martial arts debut in 2008 at the age of just 21. His career in combat sports then took off, and his collaboration with the IBA marks a new chapter for both the fighter, who is embarking on a new project, and the rapidly growing bare-knuckle boxing industry.

Following a transitional period in his professional career, the veteran champion is embarking on a new journey as part of the global IBA Bare Knuckle project. On Tuesday, the IBA announced his arrival, highlighting its commitment to providing a 'top-level platform for elite talent'. Jon Jones explained his reasons for joining the project, which will expand his extensive professional career by introducing him to a new sporting discipline. "Unlike other organisations, IBA Bare Knuckle provides a real platform for champions to shape the future of the sport", he said. The American thanked IBA President Umar Kremlev for the opportunity and stated that he will work alongside Kremlev to usher in "a new global era for bare-knuckle fighting".

During his time in the Mixed Martial Arts, Jones successfully defended his title multiple times against some of the best fighters in his division, including Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans and Daniel Cormier. Considered one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters of all time, he still holds the UFC record for the most light heavyweight victories and has been nominated several times for 'Fight of the Year' and 'Performance of the Year' by the UFC.

Jon Jones, during one of his most recent fights.

Welcoming Jones to the organisation, Kremlev emphasised the IBA's goal of "supporting those who strive for excellence at the highest levels" and described Jones' arrival as “a testament to the strength of our vision".

This move supports the IBA's adoption of bare-knuckle boxing, which the organisation incorporated into its structure in May 2025 to provide high-quality events while maintaining safety standards and opening a new branch of shows. At the time, Kremlev justified this strategic decision as a return to boxing's origins, the bare fist, "a pure and primal form of our sport". This move supports the IBA's decision to adopt bare-knuckle boxing in May 2025. When the organisation incorporated the discipline into itsstructure, it aimed to provide high-quality events while maintaining safety standards and opening up a new area of shows. At the time, Kremlev justified this strategic decision as a return to boxing's origins, the bare fist, describing it as 'a pure and primal form of our sport'.

In June, during the presentation of the IBA 'Golden Era' and its future plans inIstanbul, an exhibition detailing the discipline's inclusion was held. Since then, the IBA has established relationships with promoters organising bare-knuckle events, collaborating with them to develop various initiatives.

Jon Jones, new ambassador of IBA Bare Knuckle.

National federations have increasingly supported this discipline, which has grown in popularity alongside the rising visibility of combat sports in recent years. Traditionally, the United States and the United Kingdom have led the bare-knuckle boxing sector. Although the fights are held without gloves, competitions usually have rules such as round limits, scoring criteria and restrictions on certain types of strikes. All of the sehave been regulated since the IBA incorporated the discipline into its structure.

During this period, some fighters have transitioned from boxing or the UFC to contribute to the discipline's growth. One notable example is Polish fighter Artur 'The Lion' Szpilka, a former professional boxer and a pioneer of this transition.

On 26 July 2025, a bare-knuckle event with a full fight card took place in Moscow, the highlight being the much-anticipated rematch between Emil Novruzov and Samat Abdyrahmanov. Jon Jones was also present as a special guest, adding extra prestige to the evening. This marked one of the veteran fighter's first forays into the discipline, and he will now serve as its global ambassador.