Interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall (15-3) has been lobbying for a title unification bout against champion Jon Jones (28-1, 1 NC) since winning the interim belt in November 2023. The fight has yet to materialize.
Aspinall’s father, Andy, has run out of patience and voiced his frustration in a video posted to his son’s YouTube channel.
“It’s just a massive pain in the ass, really,” Aspinall’s father said. “Tom is just staying fit, and we’re putting different things into his game and everybody’s game that comes, but it would be really nice – because he’s a fighter – to have a fight. He’s had three fights that have lasted a minute apiece – the last three fights. It is what it is, but we could do with more fights. It’s nice to train for somebody because otherwise, you just go to the gym every day and train. You like to go with a purpose.
“It’s his living, and you need to be making money from your living, especially while you’re fit and healthy, rather than sitting on your ass and turning up for training all the time. If I’m talking purely as a coach, I’m not getting paid because Tom’s not getting paid. It’s not just about money, it’s about you want your fighters to have fights when they’re fit to fight, and he’s not having fights. It’s frustrating, but what do you do?”
Aspinall is ready to fight but it’s out of his hands. UFC CEO Dana White said during Saturday’s UFC Kansas City Post-Fight Press Conference that’s he’s confident the fight will be signed.
“I’m a professional fighter and I’m not fighting at the moment. That really isn’t my fault, though. That’s more to do with the UFC. They really, really want to make the fight with me and Jon Jones,” Aspinall said. “I want to fight, but that really isn’t up to me.”
