NEW YORK — Tom Aspinall seized the moment when he accepted the fight for the interim heavyweight title against formidable puncher Sergei Pavlovich on just two weeks’ notice.
“I can’t win the belt sitting and watching from the couch, now can I?” Aspinall reasoned.
And win he did, capitalizing on the opportunity to face Pavlovich after Jon Jones withdrew from the fight for the heavyweight title with Stipe Miocic due to injury.
Though Aspinall hadn’t been in camp, he landed a straight right hand on Pavlovich’s temple, sending him staggering back and down to the floor.
Referee Dan Miragliotta promptly stopped it, and Aspinall’s seemingly impossible dream became a reality.
“He’s a big scary guy, and I’ve never been as scared in my life as I was fighting this guy,” Aspinall confessed afterward. “But you know what? I believe in myself.”
Both fighters were known for their punching power and quick finishes, and for the 69 seconds the fight lasted, it certainly lived up to the hype. But Aspinall’s clear advantage in speed proved to be the deciding factor.
Jones and Miocic are still set to fight, and Pavlovich will face the winner while Aspinall continues his journey as the interim heavyweight champion.
