Tom Aspinall has advised Alex Pereira to target Ciryl Gane's leg in their interim heavyweight title fight at the White House on Sunday night. Pereira, a former middleweight and light-heavyweight champion, is aiming to become a three-division champion by defeating Gane on the South Lawn. The winner is expected to face Aspinall later this year.
Aspinall, who fought Gane in October last year, knows the Frenchman's style well. Their bout was ruled a no contest after Aspinall was poked in both eyes. The British fighter has since undergone surgery and is recovering, but he shared his insights on Pereira's chances.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Aspinall said: 'I think Alex's way to win is by chopping that leg down a little bit. Ciryl stands in a southpaw stance, but Pereira has chopped the front leg against southpaws before. He can still take that leg out and stop his movement.' Aspinall added that his own plan against Gane was to target the legs, which he managed to do before the eye pokes.
Despite offering advice, Aspinall predicted Gane would win on points, though he acknowledged Pereira could secure a knockout. The event, UFC Freedom 250, also features Sean O'Malley, Derrick Lewis, and a lightweight title fight between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje.
