Tom Aspinall is no stranger to the boxing ring and the MMA world champion is open to the idea of taking a few ‘money fights’ before walking away.
UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall already has one win in professional boxing, which unsurprisingly ended in a first-round knockout, and the fan-favorite juggernaut is open to the idea of eventually rounding out his MMA career by taking one or two big paydays in the Middle East.
- Who is Tom Aspinall? Step inside the life of the UFC Heavyweight Champion and Tyson Fury sparring partner
Tom Aspinall open to ending his MMA career by taking ‘money fights’ in boxing
Speaking to the legendary British boxer Carl Froch, via the Froch on Fighting YouTube channel, UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall discussed the recent trend of MMA fighters trying their hand at boxing.
Whilst Aspinall did note that he still has ‘plenty of work’ left to do with the UFC, including a potential heavyweight unification clash with Jon Jones, the English juggernaut was surprisingly open to the idea of rounding out his fighting career by stepping into the boxing ring.
“I’m definitely going to stick with MMA for the time being, I’ve got a lot more to do in the UFC at the minute but with what them Saudis are paying – if we’re talking $15 million, I mean you can never say never.”
Aspinall reiterated that such a lucrative move would only be seriously considered at the very end of his journey, and with the 15-3 heavyweight having only just celebrated his 31st birthday, that could still be a few years away.
“At the back end of my career, I might look into that thing but right now, I’ve got a lot more work to do with the UFC – but I’ll never say never to it… I’d take a couple of money fights but to be a world champion [in boxing], it’s a lifetime, a full body of work to be a world champion.
“I might not be a world champion mate, but I’ll pop over for a few quid.”
If Aspinall did ever make that transition from MMA to boxing, he’d do so with a lifetime of experience sparring and training with some of the best heavyweight boxers that Britain has to offer.
“I still train with Peter Fury now, great guy – he’s a top fella and I still work my hands with him now, but I’ve sparred with a lot of top heavyweight boxers.
“I’ve sparred with Tyson Fury, I’ve sparred with Joe Joyce, I’ve sparred with Daniel Dubois, I’ve sparred David Adeleye, I’ve sparred with Nathan Gorman – that’s quite a lot of boxing rounds with high-level boxers.”
Whilst Aspinall would undoubtedly have both the power and the hand speed to mix it up with many of the boxers at the highest level of the sport, he did also note that he’d be ‘ignorant’ to think he’d be able to seamlessly make such a jump.
“But it’s different mate, it’s different – 12 rounds is a long time to be in there just exclusively punching. It’s like saying ‘How would a boxer do in MMA’ – they’d have a chance of course; they can punch but there are a lot more variables in both sports in their own disciplines.
“I think you’re a bit ignorant if think you can just jump over and do the other one easily, it’s going to take a lot of time before you adjust.”
Aspinall warns Alex Pereira about a rushed move to boxing after AJ tease
Last month, UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira catapulted himself back into the headlines when Anthony Joshua noted that he’d like to see ‘Poatan’ one day lace up the boxing gloves, and the Brazilian in turn asking for a helping hand.
Yet the British MMA champion believes that any such transition would require time on Pereira’s part, likely much more than Poatan has at 37 years old.
“I mean, he’s got good hands but having good hands in MMA and an actual boxing style is completely different… Punching is part of our sport as an MMA fighter, but I think if someone’s successful boxing in MMA, they automatically think that they can go over and beat boxers.
“As someone who has done a lot of sparring with high-level boxers, it’s different mate.”
Aspinall explained how when it comes to comparing and contrasting the two styles needed to land effectively, there’s just too many holes to fill in to make such a transition a long-term goal.
“There’s a lot of things that you can get away with in boxing that you can’t get away with in MMA, and vice versa.
“He’s definitely got really good hands, one of the best hands in MMA, but switching over to boxing, I’m not saying he can’t win, but if you’re in your 30s you’ve been boxing since you were 10 – it’s different.”
Whilst Aspinall only just secured his eighth win in the UFC last weekend, we could see the interim heavyweight king return to action as soon as November; as he’s been named the backup fighter for the expected Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic fight at MSG.