Darren Till: Two Years of Boxing Before UFC ReturnMMAnytt.com

Darren Till has set his sights on an ambitious plan. Once a top contender in the UFC welterweight division, Till decided to leave the premier MMA organization in 2023 to venture into the world of boxing. Although he has yet to compete in any combat sport since his departure, Till recently announced his boxing debut against former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. on July 20. This match will be part of the high-profile Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson card. Despite this new direction, Till has made it clear that his ultimate goal is to return to the UFC and claim a title.

“I Will Win a UFC Belt”

“I’m going to win a UFC belt,” Till said in an interview on The MMA Hour. “I speak to the UFC bosses all the time. … I’m going to come into this boxing scene in a storm, then I’m going to go back to the UFC and get a title. Then I’m going to say, ‘Right, I’ve done it. I was one of the best. Cheers.’ And you can say I’m not going to, but I’ve solely got my sights on making a whole lot of money and beating up a few dudes, which I am 100 percent going to do. I don’t think they’ll be able to lay a hand on me. I really don’t.”

TRENDING

Lessons from UFC and New Beginnings

Till’s journey in the UFC was a mixed bag. While he showed promise, his career was marred by injuries and management issues. His last fight was a loss to Dricus du Plessis, but Till believes he was his own worst enemy.

“I did some good things in the UFC but I managed myself terribly in the UFC,” Till admitted. “After the [Robert] Whittaker fight when I had that great performance, should have probably gone on to fight Adesanya, the decisions I made after that — fighting [Derek] Brunson with a torn ACL and then fighting Dricus [du Plessis] with the same injury.”

Looking Ahead: Two Years in Boxing

Till plans to spend the next two years in the boxing ring before making a triumphant return to the UFC. He is confident that this period will not only be financially rewarding but also prepare him for a successful comeback.

“I think two years,” Till stated. “I’m going to do two years in boxing, I’m going to make millions and millions, and then I’m going to say, ‘Guys, you said I could come back at any time. Can I? Give me one or two fights. I’ve been in Russia for 12 months now just wrestling, wrestling. Or Brazil. Give me a chance now. My knee is OK. And if I go in and my chance fails, it fails. If I go in and I win a title, I’ll say on the mic, ‘I’ve won the title. I’m the best in the world right now. See you later. Bon voyage!'”

“I’m manifesting this. I manifested a lot of things. I also manifested a lot of bad things in the UFC, but I’m manifesting this now and I think about it every day.”