WBC heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury recently extended warm congratulations to his ‘brother’ Tom Aspinall. He expressed that Aspinall winning the interim heavyweight title ‘couldn’t have happened to a more lovely person.’
This win marked Aspinall as the third British UFC champion. In the first round at UFC 295, Aspinall sensationally knocked out Russian powerhouse Sergei Pavlovich to secure the title.
Tom Aspinall is a former sparring partner of Fury. He showcased his prowess by accepting the match on two-and-a-half weeks notice.
The 30-year-old competed against the opponent he called the ‘scariest in the UFC’ and defeated him.
Fury praised Aspinall on Instagram, stating: “Just want to say a massive shoutout to my brother Tom Aspinall, the new UFC heavyweight champion of the world!”
“God bless you Tom, all the best brother. It couldn’t have happened to a more lovely person. Congratulations to you and your family and I hope you have a fantastic, fantastic time.”
Reacting enthusiastically to the matc, Fury acknowledged the depth of talent in England.
He posted after the match: “We’ve got some serious talent in England. Massive congratulations to Tom on his win. Another top-tier athlete in the making!”
Fury strategically brought Aspinall into his camp ahead of his clash with Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia, aiming to better understand the complexities of facing an MMA combatant.
Speaking to TNT Sports about Aspinall’s qualities, Fury highlighted: “He’s a good fighter, probably could have made it as a pro boxer.”
“I was quite sure he would have gone on and won a world championship but he had a derailment with his knee, and that fell out, now he’s had his comeback trail. I think he can do it. He’s big enough, he’s got the power, he’s a black belt in jiu-jitsu.”
Aspinall lived up to Fury’s praise with a spectacular first-round knockout. A powerful right hand to the temple followed by two rapid shots resulted in the downfall of his Russian opponent. Reflecting on the victory, an emotional Aspinall urged others to overcome fear and pursue opportunities.
He said: “I can’t even tell you (how it feels). It’s been a crazy two and a half weeks. If you ever get a chance to do something and you’re scared to do it– you should f***ing do it.”
Tom Aspinall now joins the ranks of Hall of Famer Michael Bisping and welterweight king Leon Edwards, etching his name in the list of UK competitors who have brought home a UFC title.