Darren Till Till has his sights set on ambitious plans. Once a top UFC welterweight contender, he has decided to leave the top MMA organization in 2023 to pursue a career in boxing. Although he has yet to compete in a mixed martial arts event since leaving, Till recently announced his boxing debut against a former WBC middleweight champion. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. The bout will feature a highly-anticipated matchup between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson. Despite this new direction, Till has made it clear that his ultimate goal is to return to the UFC and win a title.
“I'm going to win the UFC belt.”
“I'm going to win the UFC belt,” Till said in an interview with The MMA Hour. “I'm always talking to the bosses at UFC. … I'm going to take the boxing world by storm, come back to UFC and win the title, and say, 'I did it, I did it, I was one of the best. Cheers.' Some people will say that's not my intention, but I'm just going to make a ton of money and beat a few guys, and I'm going to do that 100 percent. I don't think they can get a hold of me. I really don't think so.”
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Lessons from the UFC and a new beginning
Till's journey with the UFC has been one of good and bad. He was a promising fighter but injuries and management issues marred his career. His last fight was a loss to Dricus du Plessis, who Till believes was his biggest enemy.
“I did some good things at the UFC, but I ended up doing terrible things at the UFC,” Till admitted. [Robert] I probably should have fought Adesanya after the great performance against Whittaker. The decision I made after that was, [Derek] Brunson tore his ACL and then faced Dorikas [du Plessis] I had the same injury.”
Looking ahead: Two years in boxing
Till plans to spend the next two years in the boxing ring before making a spectacular return to the UFC, a period he is confident will not only be rewarding financially but will also prepare him for a successful return.
“I think two years,” Till said. “I'm going to do two years of boxing and make millions of dollars, and then I'm going to say, 'Guys, I told you I could come back anytime. Can I come back? Let me have a fight or two. I've been in Russia for 12 months doing nothing but wrestling. Maybe Brazil? Give me a chance now. My knee's good. If I go out there and don't get a chance, it's a failure. If I go out there and win the title, then I'm going to say on the mic, 'I won the title. I'm number one in the world now. See you later. Bye!'”
“I've made this happen. I've made a lot of things happen. I've done a lot of bad things in the UFC, but now I've made this happen and I think about it every day.”
Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson event (July 20, 2024)
- Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson
- Darren Till vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
- Andre Ward vs. Carl Froch
- Amanda Serrano vs. Katie Taylor
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