Darren Till boxed for the first time last week at Social Knockout 3 in the United Arab Emirates. The former UFC welterweight contenders’ appearance on the card was a surprise as the fight announcement was revealed rather last minute. Till said the frustration he felt with having not fought for over 18 months led to his decision to accept the fight against Mohammad Mutie.
He was initially due to box Julio César Chávez Jr. on the undercard of Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson on July 20 at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas. After Mike Tyson had to pull out of the bout due to health reasons, the card was scrapped, and coupled with Till experiencing visa issues, he was left without a fight. He accepted the bout with Mutie on just five days’ notice and flew out to the UAE just a couple of days before the event took place.
The boxing debut went Darren Till’s way as he won via TKO in the second round after his opponent couldn’t continue due to taking a blow to the back of the head. What happened in the aftermath is what made the headlines, as the pair began scrapping after the final bell and had to be pulled apart by their respective teams. Ariel Helwani asked Till how the brawl came about:
”I’m just chilling (after the fight) watching him on the floor, like, rolling around; I’m like, this guy is not a fighter. He’s just a coward, and then he comes over to me [and] he’s like ”I wanted to fight, the ref didn’t let me fight’ I was like ‘mate, save it, I don’t wanna hear it.” – said Darren Till on The MMA Hour.
Till said that Mutie probably thought his team would hold him back as he charged towards him in the aftermath. They didn’t do a great job of it, and he ate a left jab from the former UFC contender before they began to brawl in scenes that shrouded the event. After his victory this past weekend, Till called out Jake Paul, Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal as potential opponents for his next fight. ‘The Problem Child’ is Till’s preference due to the eyeballs it would bring, as well as the dollars to his bank account. Seeking to fight a former YouTuber has led to some people throwing shade at Till, but he’s not at all bothered:
”I know I would beat Jake Paul, I’d knock him flat out [but] the guy trains hard, he’s put a lot of commitment in, a lot of effort. He’s actually changed a few guy’s lives around him, like Amanda Serrano. This narrative of ‘you’re begging for a fight with a YouTuber’, well, wouldn’t you, mate? You’re going to make so much f**ing money. Sometimes, it’s just better to keep your mouth shut. Obviously, me and every other fighter would beg for a fight with Jake Paul.”
Top of Darren Till’s wishlist is BKFC star Mike Perry. The pair have a friendly rivalry dating back many years and have occasionally sparred each other. Till’s next opponent is still very much in the works, but it is clear from his interview with Ariel Helwani that he wants to fight soon, and he doesn’t care too much who it is.
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