Tom Aspinall: "I don’t know if Francis was amazing, or Tyson had a bad night?"
Casino Canada spoke with UFC star Tom Aspinall who provided an honest assessment of Francis Ngannou's performance against Tyson Fury and demanded a rematch takes place between the pair.The 30-year-old from Manchester regularly trains with Tyson and spars with his younger half-brother Tommy Fury. Ranked in the top 5 UFC heavyweights, the Salford man gave his honest opinion as an MMA fighter that's close to the Fury family.
Thoughts on Fury vs Ngannou?
TA: I’m still shocked four or five days on from it, I’m absolutely gobsmacked. I don’t know how Francis Ngannou managed to hang in there with Tyson Fury. I have no idea. Tyson is an unbelievable boxer with so much skill and I don’t know if Francis was amazing, or Tyson had a bad night.
It was baffling for someone like me who has seen Tyson spar so many rounds. I thought the level between them would be miles apart but in the ring together they looked very similar in terms of the level they are at and I have no idea how that happened, it is absolutely bizarre.
I don’t know what the criteria is to win a boxing fight and maybe I was just shocked, but I thought Francis Ngannou might have won to be honest. I know Tyson landed more punches but if we are talking about more significant punches, like the way the UFC scores fights on damage, I think Ngannou definitely landed the punches that shook Tyson more than vice versa. I don’t know the criteria so it may be an uneducated answer, but I thought Francis won.
Should there be a rematch?
TA: I was always thinking it would be a walkover for Tyson Fury against Francis Ngannou and was calling for the fight against Oleksandr Usyk. But now I want to see the rematch, I’m not interested in the Usyk fight. Was it a one off? Did Ngannou have an amazing night and Fury had a bad night or does it happen every time? I want to see it again.
Could you see Francis Ngannou return to the UFC, and is he on your radar?
TA: if I was Francis Ngannou, I would not be returning to the UFC with the money he is now making. The world is at his feet money wise, and he could make so much money doing anything he wanted. If I could fight him that’d be amazing because I’d make so much money as well. I think it’s really good what he’s done. He is inspiring and believed in himself when everyone else thought it was ludicrous in what he was doing in fighting Tyson Fury. You’ve got to respect what he has done and I’m very impressed by him. The knockdown looked fine to me in round three. Fury came in with the big one-two and Ngannou landed the perfect counter to the right hand. It was fine as far as I’m concerned.
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