Tom Aspinall reveals his preparation for world title fight was even crazier than first thought

The 30-year-old from Atherton became interim heavyweight champion on Saturday night by stopping Sergei Pavlovich in just 69 seconds at New York's Madison Square Garden.

He'd taken the fight at two-and-a-half weeks' notice, but even that only tells part of a quite extraordinary story.

"I can tell people this now," he said. "I basically didn't have any training camp at all.

"I wasn't really in the best shape. Three or four days before I got the call, I pulled my back really bad.

"I could barely even move. It's still bad.

"I've been having massages, seeing the chiropractor, getting in the ice bath, getting in the jacuzzi, and all the rest of it.

"To be honest, I'll have to get it treated properly when I get home.

"I didn't even have a visa as well, so it has been some three weeks, it's been absolutely insane."

Given his lack of preparation for a fight against an opponent he last week labelled 'the most dangerous man in UFC', Aspinall admits he was having second thoughts in the dressing room beforehand.

When asked whether he ever considered what he was doing was 'dumb', Aspinall replied: "Yes.

"That was my exact thoughts when I was sitting in the locker room, waiting to come out.

"I was thinking: What am I doing?

"But to be honest, I get this a lot.

"Too many people in the game, I think, and in life in general - and I'm not trying to be a philosopher - hide away from fear.

"They try to act like they're not scared.

"I openly admit that I'm scared, and I'm going to do it anyway, and that's when I'm at my best.

"Sergei whacked me with the overhand right, and my mouthpiece started to come out, that's when I do my best work., when a big, scary guy is coming at me like that.

"I embrace fear, with open arms, and I'm happy to be scared and perform like that."