Eddie Hearn has dragged Tom Aspinall into his Dana White beef, and he did it with the kind of offer that makes UFC contract talk sound like a hostage negotiation with better tailoring.
Hearn used an iFL TV interview to call on White to release Tom Aspinall from his UFC contract. The Matchroom boss said he would guarantee in writing that Aspinall would make at least triple his current UFC money if White let him go.
“I would like Dana White to release Tom Aspinall from his UFC contract,” Hearn said. “And I will guarantee Dana White in writing that I will pay Tom Aspinall a minimum, probably five times more, but a minimum of three times more what Dana White is paying him.”
Hearn built the offer around White’s own Conor Benn argument. If Hearn was supposed to smile when Benn chased Zuffa Boxing money, Hearn wants White to do the same for Aspinall. Same sales pitch, different side of the cash register.
Watch the full interview below:
Hearn Says Aspinall Is “Extremely Unhappy” With His UFC Deal
Aspinall’s heavyweight title run has already come with plenty of chaos. His fight with Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 ended early because of an eye injury, White later addressed the fallout, and the division has kept moving while Aspinall waits on the next step. The UFC has also linked the title picture to Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane, which only makes the money conversation louder.
Hearn said White should let Aspinall chase the better payday if that opportunity is real.
“I would like to propose that Dana White should be happy for Tom Aspinall, who is extremely unhappy,” Hearn said. “And he should release him of his obligations with the UFC and allow him to go out and make considerably more for himself and his family, cuz that’s what Dana White’s all about, isn’t it?”
When asked if the offer meant bringing Aspinall into boxing, Hearn said that was not the point. This was about the deal, the pay, and whether White’s fighter-money logic applies when the fighter is a UFC champion.
“Look, not even a boxing banner,” Hearn said. “The situation with Tom is, and he is under contract with the UFC, but unfortunately for him he has signed a contract which is one of the worst, most grossly underpaid athletes I have ever seen in the commercial world of sport.”
Hearn believes Aspinall is being paid miles below his market value.
“I think it’s only fair because Dana likes to see fighters, you know, get their opportunity and make as much money as possible, like he said, that he should actually allow Tom to do so,” Hearn said.
Hearn then went straight at Aspinall’s pay.
“I’m looking at this kid, Tom Aspinall,” Hearn said. “I’m looking what combat sports athletes are making around the world and I’ll be honest with you. It’s absolutely disgusting what they’re paying him and things need to change.”
White has been defending UFC pay again after the promotion’s latest business moves. Brendan Schaub recently ripped White’s “$370,000” fighter pay argument, and Hearn is now poking the same bruise from the boxing side.
Hearn Says He Would Drop Conor Benn Legal Fight If UFC Releases Aspinall
Hearn then said he would even walk away from Matchroom’s legal fight tied to Conor Benn if Zuffa released Aspinall. A UFC heavyweight champion, a boxing promoter, and a legal trade chip all in one sentence. Combat sports remains deeply unserious in the best and worst ways.
“Yeah, I tell you what, I actually would,” Hearn said. “Yeah, I’ll trade that up. I’ll walk away from all their problems they’ve got on the Conor Benn legal situation if they release Tom Aspinall.”
Hearn then repeated that he would put the money in writing.
“I mean it will be five or six times more money he’ll be making,” Hearn said. “But I will put in writing that Tom Aspinall will make a minimum of three times more than he will under his current contract.”
Hearn closed that part by saying Aspinall deserves to cash in while he can.
“There you go,” Hearn said. “And then we could all celebrate a great athlete, a great fighter, and someone that deserves, like Daniel said, to make as much money as he can from this sport.”
Aspinall’s leverage is different because the belt is involved. The UFC can book Pereira and Gane, sell the White House heavyweight chaos, and keep the machine moving, but Aspinall is still the champion waiting on medical clearance after the eye-poke mess. Hearn is trying to turn that waiting period into a price check. If the number is really three, five, or six times higher outside the UFC, the next Aspinall negotiation gets a lot harder to bury under the usual “we’ll see what happens” routine.
