Tom Aspinall, the rising heavyweight star, has been vocal about his desire to face Jon Jones in the octagon. Despite Jones’ focus on his upcoming bout with Stipe Miocic, Aspinall remains eager for the showdown.
Their recent face-to-face encounter at the Arnold Festival in Birmingham garnered attention, showcasing a respectful exchange between the two fighters.
Aspinall addressed questions from fans during a recent Q&A, expressing both confidence in his abilities and respect for his potential opponent:
“I’m obviously confident I can beat Jon Jones because I want to fight him. I’m not making it a secret that I want to fight him… Do I fear him? Absolutely, I fear all of my opponents. These guys are the best in the world. Absolute best in the world. Absolutely I fear [Jones]. But that fuels me, so I want to prove that I’m the best in the world and I want to fight Jon Jones. But he doesn’t.”
Reflecting on their face-to-face interaction, Aspinall clarified that his intention was not to disrespect Jones but rather to gauge their range, a move he humorously likened to his pre-fight ritual.
He emphasized his respect for Jones while expressing his ultimate goal of claiming the heavyweight title:
“I think he thought I was putting my hand on his shoulder being disrespectful. But I wasn’t there to be disrespectful. I was doing it in a friendly way, I’m not trying to cause any beef. I’m trying to fight the guy and take his belt.”
Aspinall’s determination and respect for his opponents shine through as he continues his journey towards his dream fight with Jon Jones.