Tyson Fury has expressed his delight at Tom Aspinall's elevation to undisputed UFC heavyweight champion following Jon Jones' retirement announcement.
The Gypsy King posted a five-word message on his Instagram story in support of the British fighter.
"Get up [there], my boy!" Fury wrote in reaction to Jones calling it a day, which automatically elevated Aspinall to the undisputed title.
The heavyweight boxing champion's enthusiastic response reflects the strong mutual respect between the two fighters, who have maintained their bond since training together years ago.
Tyson Fury and Tom Aspinall sparred years ago
PA
The pair's connection stems from sparring sessions they shared years ago, with Aspinall crediting Fury for fundamentally transforming his approach to combat sports.
In 2022, Aspinall spoke extensively about the boxing champion's impact on his career development.
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"I think Tyson Fury's helped me the most mentally. Obviously, I improved a lot. My skill set improved, my boxing improved, definitely," Aspinall said.
"It brought me a long way skill-wise. But more so mentally.
"If Tyson Fury ever gets a watch of this, 'Thank you.' I've never actually had the chance to thank him for it."
The UFC fighter revealed that Fury's influence came at a crucial juncture in his career when he was considering his future in combat sports.
Jones chose not to fight Aspinall in what would have been the biggest pay-per-view of the year, leading to accusations that he was ducking the British fighter.
Aspinall has established himself as a dominant force in the octagon, winning every fight in the UFC by finish.
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Tom Aspinall was promoted to undisputed UFC champion after Jon Jones announced his retirement
PA
The only blemish on his record came against Curtis Blaydes, where he suffered defeat due to a knee injury rather than being outfought.
His impressive finishing rate and consistent performances had built momentum for a potential showdown with Jones before the American's retirement decision.
A day after Jones announced his retirement, it emerged he is facing a misdemeanour charge of fleeing the scene of an accident.
A criminal summons was filed in Albuquerque Metropolitan Court on Tuesday, with Jones called to appear for a bond arraignment on 24th July.
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Tyson Fury helped Tom Aspinall earlier in his career
PAHis lawyer expressed being stunned by the charge and believes police are wrongly targeting his client.
The incident allegedly occurred on 21st February when police investigated a road accident involving a woman reportedly exhibiting signs of significant intoxication.
When previously asked about a potential Aspinall-Jones matchup, Fury had said: "Jon Jones is the Tyson Fury of boxing. People are unable to beat him. Very tough one."
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