UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall openly talked about the serious blow to his self-esteem he experienced after an unsuccessful fight with Ciryl Gane.
The British fighter is still undergoing recovery after several operations he had to undergo due to pokes in both eyes during the title fight last October. That bout ended without a result, leaving many questions.
After that, Aspinall faced sharp criticism from some fans and certain promotion representatives, who questioned his desire to continue the fight. Many on social media accused the athlete of faking, which was particularly painful for his psychological state.
"How can you not lose confidence in yourself?" — Aspinall shared in an interview with ESPN. — "You've worked your whole life for one goal, and then someone takes and turns everything upside down, claiming you just didn't want to fight further. I've had thousands of sparring sessions and fights since I was eight. That's not me at all. Now I'll have to work to regain my former self-belief."
