Tom Aspinall has said he is hopeful he will fight before the end of the year, as he recovers from two eye surgeries.
Aspinall last fought in October, when he made his first defence of the UFC heavyweight title, taking on Ciryl Gane in Abu Dhabi. But the main-event bout was ruled a no-contest late in round one, after Gane landed multiple eye pokes on the Briton.
Aspinall, 32, subsequently underwent two surgeries on his eyes, with his fighting future up in the air for months. Now, however, the Wigan athlete has provided a positive update.
When asked whether he will fight before the end of the year, Aspinall said on The Ariel Helwani Show: “I hope so, I hope so. I think so.
“They’re giving me the indication that everything’s going in the right direction and improving fast.
“There was a time when things were all up in the air, because we had some complications with it, but everything now is moving good, and I’m feeling a lot better.
“And I can really see the difference in the way the vision is, because vision is something that you use obviously – every second of every day.
“So, mate, I’m feeling really good about it at the moment.”
Aspinall’s next fight was expected to be a rematch with Gane, but it could yet come against Alex Pereira. At the UFC’s White House event on 14 June, Gane and Pereira will clash over the interim heavyweight title, with the winner provisionally facing Aspinall next.
That match-up was announced on Saturday, just days after Aspinall shockingly signed with boxing promoter Eddie Hearn as part of Matchroom’s new talent agency. Many fans were quick to note Hearn’s ongoing rivalry with UFC president Dana White, who is heading up a new venture: Zuffa Boxing.
When Gane and Pereira clash at the White House, it will be in the co-main event, as the latter aims to become the first three-weight champion in UFC history. The Brazilian previously held the middleweight title before winning the light-heavyweight belt, which he gave up this month.
Meanwhile, Gane is a former interim heavyweight champion who has thrice failed to win undisputed gold; before his no-contest with Aspinall, the Frenchman was beaten by Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones in undisputed-title fights.
Jones retired from mixed martial arts last summer, vacating the UFC heavyweight belt as Aspinall was upgraded from interim champion to regular-title holder. However, Jones quickly tried to reverse his retirement upon learning of the UFC’s White House plans.
But after Saturday’s announcement of the White House card, from which Jones was absent, White claimed the controversial American star was “never” going to feature. Jones later took to social media to dispute this claim, insisting negotiations had taken place.
