UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall remains eager to return to the Octagon, but his comeback could depend on whether he is medically cleared to compete following a serious eye injury.
Aspinall’s manager, Eddie Hearn, addressed the champion’s situation Wednesday during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, revealing that Aspinall has undergone multiple surgeries since suffering the injury in his most recent fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 last October.
According to Hearn, Aspinall is already training and feels ready to return, but the severity of the injury means the final decision will ultimately come down to doctors and the relevant athletic commission.
“The problem is if he's actually medically ready to fight, not in terms of how he feels, but in terms of what the commission would say or what the medical would say,” Hearn said.
“He's training, he's ready, he's eager to come back. But you can't afford, with that kind of injury, to make a poor decision and come back too early because it cannot just cost you your health, it can cost you your eyesight.”
Hearn also revealed the extent of Aspinall’s treatment, saying the heavyweight champion has undergone four operations and that the issue remains ongoing.
“I know that he's had, what, four operations now, and it's still an ongoing issue,” Hearn said. “And it can't be nice going into a sport like that with an issue like that. But he's a tough man and he's desperate to return.”
The manager also said he was pleased that fans are now getting a better understanding of just how serious Aspinall’s injury was, particularly after the criticism the fighter received following the bout.
“As frustrating as the injury has been, I'm actually quite happy that people are getting to see the severity of the injury, because I actually couldn't believe the stick that he got at the time,” Hearn said.
