Eddie Hearn on Aspinall: Don't You Dare Fight for That Ridiculous Money

British boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has advised UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall against fighting the winner of next week's interim title bout at the White House under his current contract terms.

Speaking at a press conference in Dublin on Friday, Hearn – who chairs Matchroom Boxing and has a management deal with Aspinall – stated that the UFC hadn't even extended an invitation to Aspinall to attend the White House event, despite him being slated to face the victor of the co-main event between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane. Hearn added that if it were up to him, a unification bout under Aspinall's current contract would never happen.

Aspinall, 33, was elevated to undisputed UFC heavyweight champion a year ago when then-defending champion Jon Jones opted to retire from MMA rather than face him in a unification bout. The relationship between the UFC and its English champion has been strained at times, particularly after Aspinall sustained injuries to both eyes during his fight against Gane last October. Aspinall underwent several surgeries and only recently resumed light training.

Aspinall signed a management deal with Hearn in March. The news garnered attention as Hearn has been in an increasingly sharp war of words with UFC CEO Dana White since boxing star Conor Benn left Matchroom Boxing to sign a surprise deal with White's Zuffa Boxing.

According to sources, the UFC has negotiated several major deals with contracted fighters, including champions, for 2026 – partly due to the company's shift from the traditional pay-per-view model to Paramount+. Aspinall's contract is likely among those that will need to be revised, but Hearn's involvement and public comments will likely add another layer of complexity to that process.