TLDR
- Tom Aspinall said he would love to fight Francis Ngannou but they compete for different promotions
- Aspinall has two fights remaining on his current UFC contract
- The heavyweight champion expressed interest in boxing but said he wouldn’t pursue a world title
- Aspinall hasn’t fought since October when his bout with Ciryl Gane ended in a No Contest due to an eye injury
- His manager Eddie Hearn has requested the UFC release Aspinall from his contract
Sources: heavy.com | mmamania.com
UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall said he is interested in fighting former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. The matchup would require Aspinall to leave the UFC first.
Aspinall discussed the potential fight during an appearance on the “Fight Your Corner Podcast.” He said he has always wanted the fight but the two fighters are currently stuck competing for different promotions.
“I’d love that fight. I’ve always wanted that fight. He’s out of the UFC and I’m in, so we’re a little bit stuck at the moment,” Aspinall said.
Ngannou left the UFC as a free agent several years ago. He recently knocked out Philipe Lins at MVP MMA and previously made approximately $30 million from boxing matches against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia.
Tom Aspinall realizes his absence from cageside at the White House card amid the interim heavyweight title bout ‼️👀
“UFC didn’t ask me. No one has asked me yet. I’ve never felt disrespected until you asked me. They should come to me. I’ll be there if they ask me.”
(via… pic.twitter.com/HdHQzBlyVA
— FREAK.MMA (@FREAKMMA1) June 3, 2026
Aspinall’s Boxing Ambitions
In a video on his YouTube channel where he trained with boxer Tommy Fury, Aspinall shared his thoughts on a potential boxing career. The 32-year-old champion said he wouldn’t try to become a world champion in boxing.
“I’d never be a world champ,” Aspinall said. “I wouldn’t try and be a world champion. You need to dedicate your whole life, don’t you? I spent my whole life doing MMA now, I’m nearly 33 now. So for me to be 33 and then think that I’m gonna win a world title in boxing, it’s unrealistic.”
Aspinall said he could have a couple of big fights in boxing, possibly against other MMA fighters. He specifically mentioned Ngannou as a good potential opponent for a boxing match.
The heavyweight champion has two fights remaining on his current UFC contract. He said he needs to complete those fights before pursuing any boxing opportunities.
Contract Situation and Future Plans
Aspinall’s manager, Eddie Hearn, recently said he wants the UFC to release his client from his contract. Hearn promotes boxing events through Matchroom Sport and could potentially set up lucrative boxing matches for Aspinall.
The UFC is unlikely to release Aspinall from his contract voluntarily. The promotion has him under contract and has no obligation to grant him a release.
Aspinall has been out of action since October at UFC 321. His fight against Ciryl Gane ended in a No Contest after he suffered an eye injury during the bout.
More than seven months later, Aspinall still has not been medically cleared to return to fighting. He hopes to be back in action by the end of the year.
When he does return, Aspinall is expected to face the winner of the UFC Freedom 250 interim heavyweight title fight. Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira will compete for that interim belt next Sunday at the White House in Washington, D.C.
The winner of that fight is scheduled to face Aspinall later this year in a title unification bout. Aspinall currently holds the UFC heavyweight championship.
If Aspinall and Hearn succeed in getting his release from the UFC, a fight against Ngannou would become possible. Both Aspinall’s father Andy and manager Eddie Hearn have mentioned boxing multiple times over the past few months when discussing the fighter’s future.
