Tommy Fury v Darren Till 6’off’ because of ‘stupid MMA tactics’
Tommy Fury says his fight with Darren Till is over after he threatened to use “mixed martial arts tactics”.
The 25-year-old lightweight will face Till at Co-op Live in Manchester in January.
At a press conference on November 19, Till threatened to break boxing rules with a head kick if he lost late in the fight in Manchester.
“I can’t believe I’m writing this but I won’t be fighting Darren Till on January 18, 2025,” Fury wrote on Instagram.
“The reason is simple, Darren has repeatedly stated that he does not want to abide by the rules of professional boxing and if he loses a fight he will resort to kicks and other silly MMA tactics.
“I’m a professional boxer, I’ve been out of the ring for over a year and I hope this is a good fight for the fans. I’ve wasted a few weeks in training camp.”
BBC Sport has contacted Misfits Boxing, which promotes the event, for comment but has yet to confirm whether the fight has concluded.
It is unclear which body will oversee the fight if it goes ahead, although it will not be sanctioned by the British Boxing Board of Control, or whether it will count against Fury’s professional record.
Till, a 31-year-old Liverpool player, has a record of 18 wins, 5 losses and 1 draw in 24 fights during his mixed martial arts career.
He fought 12 times under the UFC banner and challenged for the welterweight title in 2018.
Till was released by the UFC in March 2023 and defeated Mohamed Muti via technical knockout in his boxing debut, but the fight was marred by a massive brawl after the fight was called off. The game does not count toward Till’s career record.
In response to Fury’s withdrawal from the competition, Till posted two expletive-laden videos on social media platform X, denying that he would have broken the rules.
“I said at the press conference that I would kick him in the head as a psychological warfare tactic and I haven’t said anything since,” Till said.
“I’ve been boxing hard for two years, I haven’t kicked in two years and I did a kick in the video as a psychological warfare tactic.
“Never in a million years would I take a kick to the head in a fight where there are only boxing rules. I follow the rules and I have followed the rules throughout my career.”
Till added that he “remains the main eventer on January 18th” and is “looking for an opponent as we speak.”
Fury, the half-brother of former heavyweight world champion Tyson, is an undefeated boxer with a record of 10 fights.
He has not competed since his victory over YouTuber-turned-boxer KSI in October 2023.
“We’re working hard to find new opponents and dates,” Fury added.
“I promise to find a better opponent and fight better for you. Good news is coming.”
