Jones vs. Tom Aspinall: The Heavyweight Title Fight in the Making
By: Padraig Smith
Intro
Negotiations are currently ongoing between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall for a unification fight as the heavyweight division approaches what may be the biggest fight of the year. With a potential fight announcement on the horizon, negotiations came to a standstill over what appeared to be the demands of Jones – who, in his own words, simply wanted to be dealt with fairly and wanted to fight sometime this year.
Jones’ Demands Raise Possibility of Delay
Sources state that Jones wants a massive payout and 6 months of fight training for Aspinall. This raises an actual concern that the fight could be delayed to even late 2025, whereas it was previously assumed that the bout could go ahead in the summer. Dana White had said that this event was going to be on June 28 in Las Vegas, as part of UFC 317, while Jones was saying he wanted a six-month training period, which could then be construed to be in September or even later.
Aspinall Aims to Advance His Title Hopes to an Earlier Date
The interim champion Tom Aspinall is waiting for his turn in the title. He left behind a dominant victory over Sergei Pavlovich, who performed very impressively in their interim title fight, looking to unify the title and claim to be the best in his division. Aspinall is scheduled to meet with the UFC officials shortly to finalize the details and make fight announcements. He has openly shared with fans his frustration with the delay and stated that he is ready to accept the next challenge, however the UFC presents it.
Jones’s Last Fight and Injury Issues
Jon Jones last fought in November 2023 and will be able to hold onto his heavyweight championship against Stipe Miocic. He had stayed away from the ring due to injuries; it was the torn pectoral muscle that had laid him off for a long time. Since then, he has had a series of injuries that have complicated his recovery and elongated the time needed to return, which has made him put extra thought into choosing his opponent; all of this has contributed to the delay in Aspinall’s title shot.
The Stakes for the Heavyweight Division
Currently, heavyweight divisions hold considerable stakes. More of a championship unification contest than a generational clash, Jones, who once became the king of all ages more than a decade ago, must at the age of 37 now fight the new wave of heavyweight challengers: Aspinall. If agreed, this would be among the greatest UFC heavyweight fights in history and will apparently affect declaring the truly undisputed champion in the division.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it looks as though everyone is stretching it, but the clear signs point to Jones doing battle with Aspinall in 2025. The question remains whether the UFC will meet Jones’s demands, which include a six-month training period, or if Aspinall will get the summer fight. Until then, we wait and watch.
