Eddie Hearn has labelled Tom Aspinall’s UFC contract “a disgrace” after signing the heavyweight champion to his new talent agency.
This month brought the shock news that promoter Hearn, who runs Matchroom Boxing, had joined mixed-martial-arts star Aspinall in an advisory role.
Fans were quick to note Hearn’s ongoing rivalry with UFC president and CEO Dana White, who has launched several verbal attacks against the British promoter since the birth of Zuffa Boxing in January.
White is the face of the new promotion alongside Saudi government official Turki Alalshikh, while it is co-owned by combat-sports brand TKO and Saudi company Sela.
“I represent the UFC world heavyweight champion,” Hearn told media on Friday, as filmed by Pro Boxing Fans. “I’m gonna bite my tongue a little bit for now, but what I will tell you is: his contract is a f***ing disgrace. Right? A disgrace.
“I cannot believe the money that he is on, when you look at the commercial revenue that his fight would generate – against a Pereira or against a Gane in a rematch.”
Hearn was referencing Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira, who will clash over the interim UFC heavyweight title at the White House on 14 June, after Gane’s eye pokes on Aspinall led to a no-contest in their October fight.
“And honestly,” Hearn continued, “if I’m Tom Aspinall, I’m looking at that contract, I go: ‘I don’t even think you should f***ing bother, mate.’ But he wants to come back, he wants to rematch Gane, he wants to fight Pereira. He wants to defend his world heavyweight title.
“By the time you’ve paid your tax and paid your team, there’s no f ***ing point in even fighting, especially when you’ve had four operations after your eye has got gouged out. Do you know what I mean? Honestly, it’s unbelievable, but I’m really glad that it’s been highlighted.”
Here, Hearn was referring to the two surgeries that Aspinall has had in recent months; Gane’s numerous fouls led to injuries in both of the Briton’s eyes, and the 32-year-old has still not returned to full training, five months on.
However, Aspinall provided a positive health update this month as he aims to return to the UFC Octagon.
When asked whether he will fight before the end of the year, the Wigan heavyweight said on The Ariel Helwani Show: “I hope so, I hope so. I think so.
“They’re giving me the indication that everything’s going in the right direction and improving fast. There was a time when things were all up in the air, because we had some complications with it, but everything now is moving good, and I’m feeling a lot better.
“And I can really see the difference in the way the vision is, because vision is something that you use obviously – every second of every day. So, mate, I’m feeling really good about it at the moment.”
Aspinall is 15-3 (1 no-contest) as a professional, with a UFC record of 8-1. His sole defeat in the promotion came just 15 seconds into a 2022 fight with Curtis Blaydes, as Aspinall suffered a knee injury. He avenged the loss in 2024, knocking out Blaydes in the first round.
Hearn and Aspinall’s shock link-up came just weeks after Conor Benn, one of Hearn’s most high-profile boxers, made a stunning switch to Zuffa Boxing.
Benn had been with Matchroom throughout the entirety of his pro career, and the company had stuck by him during a two-year saga in which he was unable to box in the UK after failing two drug tests.
In the fallout of Benn’s Matchroom exit, Hearn claimed he had lent the 29-year-old “hundreds of thousands of pounds” during that two-year spell. The Independent received no response after contacting Benn and one of his representatives.
