Darren Till announced that he will be making his boxing debut on the undercard of the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight.
Till, who was released from the UFC after eight years, faces former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Junior. Darren Till is the latest MMA star to make the transition to boxing, following Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva.
Darren Till announces shock move to boxing
After being released from the UFC after eight years, it was unclear where Darren Till would go next in his career. The former UFC star was linked to a move to bare-knuckle boxing. Till’s last UFC fight was against middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis, who finished the Liverpool star in the third round via a guillotine choke. Since then, Till has remained inactive in MMA. Today’s announcement has put all those rumors to rest. Darren Till is set to face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in a six-round showdown at a catch weight of 190lbs.
Speaking to the media today Darren Till said;
“I’m very happy with my opponent. He is a great fighter who I respect, but make no mistake about it; I am coming to knock him out in the first round.”
Another MMA star transitions to boxing
Darren Till is the latest MMA fighter to make the transition to boxing. He follows in the footsteps of Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley who also fought in a boxing event. It also raises other questions as to why so many MMA stars are making the switch over to boxing. With the rise of YouTube influencer Jake Paul, boxing has seen a draft of former MMA fighters making the switch.
Nate Diaz is another example with the Stockton fighter set to face off against former BMF title holder Jorge Masvidal. Their bout is set to take place on the 6th of July. Till could be using boxing to rejuvenate his MMA career as the Liverpool star has won only one of his last six UFC fights. Also with boxing traditionally paying more than UFC, Darren Till could be seeking a career change as he looks to secure his future away from MMA.
Who is Darren Till fighting?
After announcing his fight against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, Darren Till will have a tough task in his boxing debut. Chavez Jr. is a veteran in terms of boxing and experience. The Mexican has had 61 fights with 53 wins and just six losses with one no-contest.
In terms of boxing experience, this appears to be a mismatch with Darren Till making his debut and Chavez Jr. having made his boxing debut back in 2003 with his career spanning a remarkable 21 years. Till will be hoping to cause an upset and knock his opponent out early. With Chavez Jr. being a former champion, the Mexican has faced deep waters with a vast amount of fighting pedigree. Darren Till on the other hand has fought in sold-out arenas and certainly has the talent to surprise his critics on the night.
Who do you think will win the fight? Let us know in the comments below!
Featured Image Credit via Embed from Getty Images
