Dana White has “no issues” with Tom Aspinall signing a business deal with Eddie Hearn and denied ever questioning his champion’s eye injury.
UFC heavyweight champion Aspinall (15-3) inked a deal with Matchroom Talent Agency, a new initiative run by boxing promoter Hearn.
Aspinall remains contracted to fight in the UFC but can now count on professional advice from Hearn, who has emerged as a rival for White’s Zuffa Boxing.
Zuffa signed Conor Benn, who had spent his entire pro boxing career with Matchroom, leaving Hearn disappointed.
White reacted to Aspinall welcoming Hearn into his inner circle by saying at the UFC 326 news conference: “We don’t have any issues with Eddie.
“They can get whoever they want to represent them. Tito Ortiz [the ex-UFC fighter whom White feuded with] used to represent people, and we got it done.”
Dana White denies questioning Tom Aspinall injury
Aspinall spent 14 months away from fighting while hoping to land a meeting with Jon Jones, which never came to fruition.
His interim heavyweight title was upgraded to full status outside the Octagon when Jones retired, but his comeback against Ciryl Gane ended in disaster.
The fight was ruled a no-contest when Aspinall was rendered unable to continue due to accidental eye pokes.
White hasn’t spoken to Aspinall since he underwent surgery last month on both eyes but denied ever calling into question the severity of his injuries.
“The company has talked to him. I haven’t talked to him. Tom and I obviously need to talk,” White told “Piers Morgan Uncensored.” “Tom came out recently, his dad too, they felt like I had s— on them in the way that I spoke about his eye injury, which was absolutely, positively not the case.
“Tom Aspinall is a guy that I respect. He’s great to work with. Never once did I question his injury or speak negatively about him. I said: ‘I think he is OK, I think he is going to be good.’ And they came out and said: ‘No, that’s not the case.’ He said: ‘I haven’t talked to Dana, I don’t know why he would say that.’ But obviously my medical team is talking to him. That was what I thought.
“They thought I had knocked him in some way, which I absolutely, positively have not and would not. I like him very much and respect him. I’ve never had a problem with Tom Aspinall. I do. He is still dealing with whatever is going on with his eyes. In the past 30 years in this business, I have seen injuries that I have questioned guys can come back from. And they always have. Including eye pokes.
“If you ask me: ‘Do I think Tom Aspinall will fight again?’ I would say: ‘Yes.'”
Aspinall has no timeline on his return. He has previously expressed an interest in a rematch with Gane.