Darren Till continued his fine boxing form on Saturday, as the former UFC star emphatically knocked out Luke Rockhold in Manchester.
The Liverpudlian, 32, dropped the American, 40, in the second round before doing so again in more brutal fashion in the third frame, leading the referee to wave off the bout with Rockhold folded over in the corner.
Rockhold’s pedigree in mixed martial arts (MMA) in fact trumps Till’s, with the former having held the UFC middleweight title, while Till unsuccessfully challenged for welterweight gold. But Till has looked a fighter reborn since making his professional boxing debut in January.
Competing under the banner of Misfits, the promotion headed up by YouTuber KSI, the Liverpudlian has now gone 3-0. He first stopped Anthony Taylor, before outpointing fellow UFC alum Darren Stewart in May.
Then came Saturday’s knockout of Rockhold at Manchester’s AO Arena, a result that the American accepted gracefully.
“S*** happens, it’s all love @darrentill2.0,” Rockhold wrote on Instagram. “All the best to you brother.” Accompanying his words were two photos of the fighters drinking beer together.
Rockhold’s defeat followed a knockout win in a karate match last year, and a TKO loss in a bare-knuckle boxing match in 2023 – in which he suffered a nasty injury to his teeth.
Rockhold retired from MMA in 2022, ending a career in which he held the middleweight title from 2015 until 2016. While he recorded no successful defences of the belt, he does hold wins over former champions Lyoto Machida, Chris Weidman, and Michael Bisping – the latter of whom ultimately dethroned Rockhold in their rematch.
Meanwhile, Till also last fought in the UFC in 2022, though he has long kept the door open for a return. After unsuccessfully challenging for the welterweight title in 2018, Till’s next five fights proved his final five in the UFC, with the Scouser going 1-4.
Enjoy 185+ fights a year on DAZN, the Global Home of Boxing
Never miss a fight from top promoters. Watch on your devices anywhere, anytime.
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Enjoy 185+ fights a year on DAZN, the Global Home of Boxing
Never miss a fight from top promoters. Watch on your devices anywhere, anytime.
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
His final four bouts in the promotion took place at middleweight, culminating in a submission loss to Dricus Du Plessis, who went on to become champion in the division.
After stopping Rockhold, Till called out former super-middleweight boxing champion Carl Froch, 48, who was sat ringside.
