The recent partnership between Eddie Hearn and Tom Aspinall has become one of the most talked about developments in combat sports.
Hearn, who leads Matchroom Boxing, recently began working with the UFC heavyweight champion as an advisor and manager. When he reviewed Aspinall’s contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the numbers surprised him.
Speaking during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Hearn said the purse figures from Aspinall’s recent fights were much lower than he expected for a fighter holding a major championship.
“I’m going over his UFC contract, I’m talking about the numbers that he’s made over the last three or four, five fights, and I’m just sitting there, and I’m like, ‘I actually can’t believe what’s going on,’”
Hearn said the situation became even more surprising when he considered what Aspinall had gone through during his career.
“I actually can’t believe that you’ve had your eye virtually gouged out and you’ve been really, in my opinion, chastised by the organization and a narrative has been ran on you. You’ve had three operations and you’re sitting there feeling sorry for yourself, and I can tell what kind of individual you are. I was just like, ‘I want to represent you. Forget me vs. Dana. I want to represent you.’ We just got on so well and we never looked back.”
Boxing Promoter Compares UFC Purse to Smaller Boxing Events
Hearn did not reveal the exact numbers in Aspinall’s deal, but he compared the purse to what fighters sometimes earn in boxing.
According to Hearn, some smaller boxing title fights in Britain can pay similar or even higher amounts than what Aspinall receives while headlining major MMA events.
“Tom Aspinall headlined The O2 Arena, and they actually broke records, and it was on pay-per-view in the U.K. and ESPN in America and he’s making less money – probably half the amount of money – than I would pay for a guy to fight for the British title at York Hall (in) Bethnal Green (London) in front of 1,200 people,”
He also explained that the UFC business model is different from boxing, but it has been very profitable for the organization.
“Again, it’s their business. There is no rule in place that the model has to be like this. … I look at these shows and these numbers, and again – the UFC has got away with this. It’s what they do. It’s why they’re making a fortune.”
Hearn Ready to Help With Future Negotiations
While Hearn is best known for promoting boxing events, his role with Aspinall is mainly focused on guidance and representation outside the cage.
He said he will help Aspinall with commercial opportunities and career planning, but the fighter will decide how much involvement he wants when dealing with UFC executives such as Dana White and Hunter Campbell.
“We are his representation company across his commercial management – representation and advisor,”
Hearn added that if Aspinall wants him to step into negotiations, he is prepared to do so.
“I said to him clearly, ‘I don’t want you to feel like I have to go in and talk to Hunter (Campbell) or Dana about your fights, so you will have to point how you want to play that. We sit effectively as a team. I know now exactly his contractual position. I know now the landscape of how this might play out. But if he wants me to go in and deal with those guys, I will. I will go in and fight for everything that he deserves.’”
With the UFC heavyweight champion now working alongside one of boxing’s biggest promoters, many fans are watching closely to see how this partnership might influence Aspinall’s future deals and earning power in the sport.
