Tom Aspinall has revealed that Tyson Fury asked him for help ahead of the boxer’s upcoming fight with Francis Ngannou.
WBC heavyweight champion Fury will box Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, in Saudi Arabia on 28 October. Meanwhile, Aspinall is in action at UFC London this Saturday, as the Wigan fighter takes on Marcin Tybura in a heavyweight main event.
Aspinall, 30, has trained with Fury numerous times, but he admitted that he may struggle to find time to do so before the “Gypsy King”’s next bout.
“He called me the other day and asked if I’d help him with training,” Aspinall told reporters on Thursday (20 July). “We’ll see how I can fit in, I’ve got a busy schedule.
“I think Ngannou has a puncher’s chance, but it’s a very, very, very, very, very small puncher’s chance. As someone who’s sparred Tyson a lot... I think someone with the inexperience of Ngannou is going to find it really tough.
“Obviously he hits like a truck, but Fury is a master. I think it’ll be a tough one.”
Ngannou, 36, is widely seen as the most devastating puncher in MMA history. The Cameroonian’s professional record stands at 17-3, with 12 of his wins having come via knockout. Of those KO victories, eight took place in Round 1 – with three having been achieved inside the first minute.
Meanwhile, Briton Fury is unbeaten as a pro boxer at 33-0-1 (24 KOs), and he has reigned as WBC heavyweight champion since 2020. As it stands, however, the 34-year-old’s belt will not be on the line when he fights Ngannou.
Ngannou left the UFC in January, relinquishing the heavyweight title as he did so, before signing with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) – a rival MMA promotion. As part of his deal with the PFL, Ngannou is allowed to box on the side, which he will do against Fury before making his PFL debut in 2024.
Meanwhile, Aspinall’s fight with Poland’s Tybura will be the Briton’s first in 12 months. In his last outing – which took place at the O2 Arena, like this Saturday’s bout – Aspinall suffered a knee injury early in the first round against Curtis Blaydes.
