Tom Aspinall's dad: 'If Jon Jones doesn't want to fight for the belt, vacate it'

Whether an undisputed heavyweight title fight between champion Jon Jones and interim titleholder Tom Aspinall ever comes to fruition remains unclear. 

Aspinall has called for the matchup since being crowned the interim champion at UFC 295 in November 2023. Jones sought a fight with Alex Pereira believing it to be more lucrative but when Pereira lost the light heavyweight championship to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 on March 8, a fight against the Brazilian knockout artist lost a lot of luster.  

Jones reportedly wants 10 months to prepare to fight the British interim titleholder putting a speed bump in the path of the bout happening. Apsinall's father, Andy, simply wants his son to receive what he's earned, an undisputed UFC heavyweight title fight. 

"You're contracted to do three fights a year. I think he's worked himself into a position where he should fight for a belt," Aspinall's father told JNMEDIAUK's Jamal Niaz. "For me, if the guy doesn't want to fight for the belt, vacate it."

"He (Tom) just wants to compete. He's a competitor," the elder Aspinall continued. "It's just another contest. We want more and more and more contests. That's what he does to earn a living. That's how he provides for his family. He just wants to get out there and compete and he's being held up at the minute... We're still sitting on the fence and waiting."