Hearn tells Aspinall to refuse Pereira-Gane winner fight

Eddie Hearn says he has told Tom Aspinall not to fight the winner of next week's Alex Pereira-Ciryl Gane interim heavyweight title bout under his current UFC contract.

Speaking at a Dublin press conference Friday, Hearn — who chairs Matchroom Boxing and manages Aspinall — said the promotion did not invite the heavyweight champion to the White House event despite the planned unification matchup. Per ESPN's Brett Okamoto, Hearn insisted a unification fight under Aspinall's existing deal will not happen on his watch.

Hearn blasts UFC fighter pay ahead of White House card

"I'm not going to let Tom Aspinall fight for the kind of money that's in his contract," Hearn told reporters. "To be involved in a fight against Pereira or Gane for literally 1/50th of the revenue of that show, f*ck that. I won't let him do it. It's time those UFC fighters stop being mugs and start to understand that these people are taking advantage of them. They deserve better."

Aspinall became undisputed heavyweight champion last year after Jon Jones retired rather than face him in a unification bout. The 33-year-old Englishman has been sidelined since suffering eye injuries in an October clash with Gane, undergoing multiple surgeries before returning to light training recently.

Hearn signed Aspinall as a client in March, a move that raised eyebrows given the promoter's ongoing feud with Dana White that escalated when boxer Conor Benn left Matchroom for White's Zuffa Boxing. Sources indicate the UFC has renegotiated several high-profile contracts in 2026 as the company shifts away from traditional pay-per-view on Paramount+, making Aspinall's deal a likely candidate for amendment. The Pereira-Gane interim title fight serves as co-main at the White House on June 14.

Source: espn.com