Tyson Fury delighted by Tom Aspinall’s short-notice UFC world title fight

26 October 2023 , 14:42

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Tyson Fury delighted by Tom Aspinall’s short-notice UFC world title fight

Tyson Fury has expressed his joy for close friend Tom Aspinall after securing a UFC heavyweight title shot.

Aspinall will fight Sergei Pavlovich for the interim heavyweight title at UFC 295 on less than three weeks' notice after undisputed champion Jon Jones was forced out of his fight against Stipe Miocic due to injury. Aspinall was planning to attend the New York event as a pundit but he will now ditch the microphone for his 4oz gloves as he looks to win his first world title.

Fury, who fights former UFC champion Francis Ngannou on Saturday, has trained with Aspinall for over a decade and recently sparred with the top heavyweight to help him prepare for his upcoming fight. 'The Gypsy King' has always backed Aspinall as a future champion and is glad to see him get his long-awaited opportunity.

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"I always said since Tom started in the UFC that he’s capable of winning the heavyweight championship of the world," Fury said on The MMA Hour. "This is his opportunity to go there, seize it with both hands and immortality awaits. I know how hard and how long he’s trained for this. To step in on short-notice and keep the event going, it definitely can be done.

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"This is massive opportunity for Tom and we come from nearly the same area, just a couple miles from each other. He always believed in himself and was always like 'I can do it, I can win the championship'. Now he’s taking over the game and is getting an opportunity to fight for the championship.

"It makes me happy and proud. Someone like Tom, I remember when he didn’t have any money and was struggling to get fights. It's a brilliant story. I know a lot of fighters who are not getting paid and the guy who is now fighting for the UFC heavyweight title, Tom Aspinall, I remember when he was fighting professional MMA and wasn’t making any money."

Aspinall has previously thanked Fury and his family for changing his outlook on fighting and reviving his career in the cage. The Mancunian trained at Fury's gym every day for two years in the early days of his professional career and admitted the heavyweight champion's guidance has played an instrumental role in his fighting success.

Harry Davies