Tom Aspinall`s frustration regarding the potential fight with Jon Jones might be reaching a boiling point, perhaps even surpassing that of eager UFC fans.
The interim UFC heavyweight champion has been vocal about his desire to face Jones in a title unification bout. However, despite Jones defeating Stipe Miocic last November, seven months later, the much-anticipated clash between Aspinall and “Bones” still appears far from being scheduled.
Speaking on the High Performance Podcast, Aspinall was asked what steps he could take to make the fight a reality.
“Me, personally, I can’t do anything,” Aspinall stated. He believes the holdup is primarily “down to money on his side.” Aspinall reiterated his readiness: “I will fight whenever — whenever, wherever he wants — but it’s down to money I think.”
Aspinall elaborated on his perspective regarding Jones` situation: “I just think that at this stage in his career, he’s had an amazing career, I just think that… he’s like 37, 38 years old, but not only that, he’s got a million miles on the clock. So he’s got a lot of damage on the body, he’s [taken] a lot of shots to the head. And that’s not me saying anything negative. That’s the reality of it, and I’m sure Jon Jones is aware of that.”
Following his victory over Miocic, Jones` future remained uncertain, with possibilities ranging from retirement to taking a high-stakes, financially lucrative fight, potentially against Aspinall.
Aspinall acknowledged that Jones likely seeks a substantial payday near the end of his storied career. However, Aspinall is growing weary of the prolonged waiting game and the constant inquiries about the potential matchup.
“When you put him in there with, and I’m not trying to blow my own trumpet, but I’m literally the most dangerous guy in the UFC if you look at the stats,” Aspinall claimed. He feels Jones understands the challenge he presents: “When you put him in with a guy of my size who has them credentials at this stage in his career, I think Jon’s a smart guy and realizes that, so he wants to be compensated financially for it.”
Expressing his frustration directly, Aspinall concluded: “I’m well bored of [the Jones conversation]. I’ve had enough. We either need to fight, or I need to move on to something else.”
