Eddie Hearn is pressing the UFC to improve heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall’s contract and pay before allowing him to return to the Octagon.
Aspinall, who joined Hearn’s Matchroom Talent Agency in March, is expected to fight the winner of Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane at an upcoming UFC White House card later this month, but Hearn says those plans are on hold while he reviews the champion’s deal. Hearn recently asked for Aspinall’s release from the promotion.
“They’ve got to be careful because at the end of the day I’m not going to let Tom Aspinall fight for the kind of money that he’s on,” Hearn said, adding, “To be involved in a fight against [Alex] Pereira or [Ciryl] Gane for literally one fiftieth of the revenue for that show?”
“F— that, I won’t let him do it. And it’s time those UFC fighters stop being mugs and start to understand that these people are taking advantage of them. They don’t mind paying these boxers all this money but they don’t want to pay the UFC fighters,” Hearn continued.
Hearn also pointed to Aspinall’s health history as a key factor in his stance. “I will tell you the number if we get to that and UFC fans will be sick to their stomach about the money Tom Aspinall is supposed to get for that fight. It’s not fair. We’re not trying to be unreasonable but my advice to him is ‘mate, you don’t need that, you nearly lost your eyesight’. He’s had four operations on his eyes and he wants to go back and fight for virtually nothing in a rematch? He knows no better, he’s a fighter. Trust me when I say I know what I’m talking about and it’s outrageous. I will do everything I can to not allow it.”
