Since leaving Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) nearly two years ago (here’s why), Darren Till has struggled to secure himself a big fight. And the only one that’s seemingly available is one that he definitely doesn’t want.
And it would be so good.
Indeed, a clash against long-time rival, “Platinum” Mike Perry, under bareknuckle boxing rules. The two men have been talking trash to each other for several years, and once “The Gorilla” left UFC in 2022, it seemed like a fight was finally possible.
Well it is … just not in Perry’s home promotion BKFC.
“I have no interest in fighting him bare-knuckle at the moment,” Till clarified during his appearance on The MMA Hour. “It’s not about fear, it’s about preserving my face at this stage of my career. I’m 31 years old, why would I want to mess up my appearance? Who would even find me attractive after that?”
Bareknuckle boxing has a well-deserved reputation for being extra brutal. The wrapped hands slice faces up within seconds, often leaving both fighters a bloody mess after a minute or two. So, is it completely reasonable for Till to refuse to fight in the sport? Sure. Are we as fans going to accept that decision happily? No.
Till reportedly turned down a $2 million offer to fight Perry at the last “Knucklemania” event. Since then, he’s been booked (and then dropped) from a Jake Paul “Fear No Man” card against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on July 20, 2024, because of visa issues. And then there was the gigantic disaster that was his last-second Social Knockout 3 boxing match against Muhammad Mutie in Dubai.
Mutie went down in the second round off a single punch to the back of the head, and looked like he was on his way to earning a disqualification win or a “No Contest” when Till called him a coward. That sparked a brawl that saw the ring get flooded with people kicking and punching.
While it may not be seen favorably, this is the type of event that generates significant attention in the Influencer boxing realm. Considering Mutie’s ability to continue fighting, the match was ultimately declared a victory for Till due to a technical knockout resulting from an injury.
Till expressed his perspective, stating, “You know what? That guy might have actually done us a favor. Just take a look online; everyone around the globe is buzzing about it. So, it’s actually a positive development. It’s not something negative. Darren Till always finds himself in the midst of some crazy situations.”
“However, unfortunate events occur, my friend,” he went on to say. “I have always been involved in fights and chaos throughout my entire life. So, you see, it’s just another ordinary day for me. I’ve achieved my first boxing victory and now I can anticipate the big fights that I have been advocating for. So, overall, my friend, it has been quite a crazy week with a last-minute fight, but everything is going well.”
Who’s next?
To checkout the latest bareknuckle boxing-related news and notes click here.
