UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall says seeing Conor Benn secure a reported £11m one-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing helped to convince him to team up with Eddie Hearn.
Britain’s Aspinall joined Hearn’s ‘Matchroom Talent Agency’ on Thursday in a “commercial and advisory” deal rather than a promotional one, meaning the 32-year-old remains signed to the UFC.
The move – a bid by Aspinall to maximise his earnings outside of the UFC – has come two weeks after boxer Benn left Hearn’s promotional outfit Matchroom to join Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing.
Benn’s deal with UFC president White’s boxing promotion ruffled the feathers of several UFC fighters, including Aspinall, who earn significantly less than their boxing counterparts.
“I think if one guy gets $15m [£11m] and the other guy gets $15k [£11,000], that’s a big deal to make, which is part of the reason I want to explore other options,” said Aspinall during a news conference on Friday.
“I want to be a trailblazer for MMA fighters who can make a lot of money and be successful outside the octagon as well as inside.
“Publicly or privately, a lot of MMA fighters complain about the money we’re getting paid, but that’s the contract we all signed. I’ve accepted that and I want to make as much money outside the octagon as I possibly can.”
Hearn described himself as Aspinall’s “manager”, stressing that his role is to “build Tom commercially”.
Aspinall has ruled out boxing in the immediate future as he remains contracted to the UFC, which forbids fighters from competing in other combat sports without obtaining permission.
Hearn said: “Now’s about moving forward with Tom, building him commercially, growing his profile, building that relationship with brands and fans.
“And also making sure he gets what he absolutely deserves with the commercial power he has as a fighter.”