Video: Darren Till’s Boxing Debut Ends in Brawl After TKO Victory

Darren Till ’s first foray into the Sweet Science was memorable, though not necessarily for the right reasons.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran’s bout against Mohammad Mutie at Social Knockout 3 in Dubai was halted in the second round when Mutie complained that he had been hit in the back of the head. Ultimately, Till was awarded a technical knockout victory when it was determined that Mutie couldn’t continue.

That’s when things got chaotic. Mutie approached Till to apparently complain about the illegal punch and a brawl ensued, with other individuals entering the ring to join in the fray. Till and Mutie went to the canvas before eventually being separated.

“This is fighting – you get hit. If you don’t want to continue fighting, don’t fight. He’s not a fighter. He’s trying to be a fighter. He’s a coward,” Till said in a post-fight interview. “Then when I’m minding my own business he comes and attacks me. I’m so sorry. I am not that guy. I am a respectful guy. I love fighting. I love Dubai, I’ve been coming here since 2016. I’m standing here minding my own business and he came over and attacked me with his team. I’ve got to defend myself, so I’m sorry about that guys. I am.”

Till was originally slated to make his professional boxing debut against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on the undercard of Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson. However, that fight was canceled when the main event was postponed.

Till was making his first combat sports appearance since December 2022, when he was submitted in the third round by current middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 282. The 31-year-old Liverpool native lost five of his last six bouts in the Octagon before parting ways with the promotion in 2023. Till began his UFC tenure as a rising star who was unbeaten in his first six outings before falling to Tyron Woodley in a 170-pound title bout in September 2018. That marked the beginning of a skid that eventually led to his departure from the UFC.