Eddie Hearn Doubles Down on “Worst” Contract Claims as He Challenges Dana White to Let Him Sign Tom Aspinall

Matchroom Chairman Eddie Hearn calls out UFC CEO Dana White to release UFC heavyweight champion from his contract.

Eddie Hearn Doubles Down on “Worst” Contract Claims as He Challenges Dana White to Let Him Sign Tom Aspinall

Eddie Hearn's challenge regarding Tom Aspinall to Dana White (via MMA Fighting)

In Short
  • Eddie Hearn has signed Tom Aspinall to Matchroom Talent Agency and challenged Dana White to release him from his UFC contract.
  • Hearn claims Aspinall is underpaid and has offered to pay him three times more than his current UFC salary.
  • The rivalry between Hearn and White has intensified over fighter pay and the signing of top boxing talent.

Eddie Hearn has taken Matchroom Boxing to new heights under his leadership, consistently facing every challenge head-on across combat sports promotion. As he continues his promotional rivalry with UFC CEO Dana White, Hearn has now signed Tom Aspinall to Matchroom Talent Agency. The British promoter has escalated tensions further by directly challenging White to release Aspinall from his UFC contract.

The rivalry between Hearn and White traces back to disagreements over fighter pay and the structure of boxing promotions. It began intensifying when White expanded his influence into boxing ventures, including Zuffa Boxing, which directly challenged traditional promoters like Matchroom. Hearn publicly pushed back by arguing that UFC fighters were massively underpaid compared to top-level boxers.

White signed Matchroom welterweight star Conor Benn to Zuffa Boxing in a $15 million single-fight deal, later followed by a multi-fight agreement. The move escalated the rivalry with Hearn over top boxing talent. Hearn responded by signing Aspinall to Matchroom Talent Agency while he remains under a UFC contract. The Matchroom Chairman has now asked White to release Aspinall so he can sign him outright.

I would like Dana White to release Tom Aspinall from his UFC contract. I will guarantee Dana that I will pay Tom Aspinall a minimum of 3 times more what Dana White is paying him. Dana White should be happy for Tom Aspinall to receive that deal. [Aspinall] is extremely unhappy… unfortunately for him, he has signed a contract which is one of the worst, most grossly underpaid athletes I have ever seen. It’s absolutely disgusting what they’re paying him. Things need to change.

Eddie Hearn via IFLTV

Benn was once a major name under Matchroom Boxing, central to Hearn’s UK success. His signing with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing left a bad taste in the British promoter’s mouth and strained their relationship. Hearn is currently in a dispute with Benn over alleged unpaid loans, which the British welterweight denies. However, Hearn has suggested he would let the issue slide if White releases Aspinall.

I’ll trade that up. I’ll walk away from all the problems they’ve got with the Conor Benn legal situation if they release Tom Aspinall. There you go. And then we can all celebrate a great athlete, a great fighter, and someone that deserves, like Dana said, to make as much money as he can from the sport.

Eddie Hearn via IFLTV

Hearn has supported the UFC heavyweight champion, calling White’s contract limiting and a “disgrace”. He says Aspinall’s earning potential is restricted under UFC terms. Hearn also said Aspinall was unhappy with the backlash after refusing to continue against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321, which ended in a no-contest due to a double eye poke. He added that the criticism cast doubt on Aspinall’s return under UFC.

Tom Aspinall has also spoken positively about his relationship with Eddie Hearn, saying he feels comfortable working with him in a commercial capacity. Aspinall’s father, Andy Aspinall, has previously expressed interest in his son exploring boxing at some stage. The UFC heavyweight champion’s link with Matchroom Talent Agency has opened discussion around potential crossover opportunities outside MMA.

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Eddie Hearn weighs in on British heavyweight star’s return

Anthony Joshua had a rocky 2025 despite earning a reported $92 million after knocking out Jake Paul at the Kaseya Center on December 19. The win stood as a major highlight of his year and career. However, momentum quickly shifted in a devastating turn of events. Days later, tragedy struck when he was involved in a car crash in Nigeria that reportedly killed his close friends Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.

Anthony Joshua and Eddie Hearn together
Anthony Joshua and Eddie Hearn (via Instagram)

Joshua is set to face unbeaten heavyweight Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking his return after a turbulent 2025. The British heavyweight has returned to full training camp, focused on sharpness, conditioning, and rebuilding rhythm after his layoff. Promoter Eddie Hearn has backed the comeback, emphasizing Joshua’s preparation and expectations for a strong return performance.

The Prenga fight will tell us a lot. Prenga is not a world-class heavyweight, but he is a good heavyweight and an undefeated heavyweight. He has a 100% knockout ratio: 20 wins, 20 knockouts. I think you will see a ferocious performance from Anthony Joshua, and I think he has a lot to prove.

Eddie Hearn vai Fight Hub TV

Eddie Hearn has remained Anthony Joshua’s long-time promoter and manager throughout his professional career, guiding him through multiple heavyweight title reigns and major global events. The upcoming bout against Kristian Prenga is being positioned as a tune-up fight to rebuild Joshua’s momentum for a blockbuster superfight against Tyson Fury, targeted for the final quarter of 2026.

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