Darren Till never backs down from a fight so he happily accepted a matchup against Luke Rockhold in his latest boxing match but it turns out the former UFC champion wasn\u2019t the first option.<\/p>\n
Following a win over fellow UFC veteran Darren Stewart back in May, Till was anxiously awaiting word on his next opponent after Misfits promised him a big name for his return to action. While he was definitely satisfied with the option eventually presented to him, Till revealed that another former UFC superstar was actually in talks for the fight before negotiations hit an unexpected roadblock.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, Misfits owed me a big fight, a pay-per-view fight so obviously they have to come through with a big name, which obviously Nate Diaz [talked about a fight] and whatever,\u201d Till told MMA Fighting. \u201cThen they come with Luke and I was happy with it.<\/p>\n
\u201cLuke, former Strikeforce world champion, former UFC world champion, you don\u2019t get to them levels in this game without being a formidable opponent. So it\u2019s like, I was very pleased. I was very happy with the matchup. I was extremely happy, I\u2019m not going to lie.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since leaving the UFC, Nate Diaz has put his full attention on a boxing career, which included past fights with Jorge Masvidal and Jake Paul. Diaz hasn\u2019t fought since July 2024 but according to Till, talks were going well until suddenly everything stopped.<\/p>\n
Till claims that\u2019s all due to Diaz because he was more than ready to accept the fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cNate Diaz was the one that called the fight, he named the time, place, date, weight, everything,\u201d Till said. \u201cI just said yes because obviously he\u2019s the bigger side. He\u2019s the \u2018A\u2019 side, stuff like that. But then he pulled out so I\u2019m willing to fight any man.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is probably my downfall. I don\u2019t see fighting as pick and choose. I should have done that more in my UFC career, but I\u2019m just willing to fight. Whoever they put in front of me, obviously if it\u2019s a big name, because they owed me a big named fight, I\u2019m ready and willing.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to the potential matchup against Diaz, Till also pursued a fight with former UFC rival Jorge Masvidal, who knocked him out during their previous encounter at a card in London back in 2019.<\/p>\n
Till personally tried to play matchmaker with that one but it turns out Masvidal just wasn\u2019t in the best shape at the time, which nixed any plans to book the rematch between them in the boxing ring.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I actually Facetimed Masvidal while he was in Thailand and asked him to take the fight,\u201d Till said. \u201cBut he showed me his belly and it looked like he was having a really good time. So I was like maybe that fight doesn\u2019t happen. But I\u2019d just love to get that fight back because Masvidal knows I\u2019ll knock him out if we fight but obviously he\u2019s doing it for the paycheck. He\u2019s got one up on me so I do need my revenge fight with him. But hopefully it will come one day.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was living his best life. He was on the drink, he was with one of my friends. He was having a phenomenal time, and I was there for it. I was like yeah! But I don\u2019t think he would have been ready for this date. So obviously we had to go to other people, other options.\u201d<\/p>\n
To be clear when it comes to a possible Masvidal rematch, Till promises that\u2019s all about the competition and his desire to avenge a past loss.<\/p>\n
Truth be told, Till has nothing against Masvidal whatsoever so attempting to book another fight between them isn\u2019t personal at all \u2014 it\u2019s just good business.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy would I hold any ill will to another man?\u201d Till said. \u201cFighting in a respectful manner, respectful sport who knocked me out. That\u2019s just bitterness. That\u2019s just ego getting in the way. He won the fight fair and square. Whether you had injuries during the fight or this that and the other, at the end of the day, when history writes itself, no one is going to talk about that. People are only going to take about the win and he won.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo for me to be holding any ill will, it\u2019s like let\u2019s say hypothetically Luke Rockhold beats me \u2014 because that just ain\u2019t happening in any universe \u2014 even though I think Luke\u2019s a big of a wanker, do I start hating on him for beating me fair and square? It\u2019s a sport at the end of the day It\u2019s a very violent sport but it\u2019s a sport. May the best man win, that\u2019s how I take it all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Assuming he does get through Rockhold on Aug. 30, Till would happily revisit those potential fights against Diaz or Masvidal but he also knows there are going to be other options as well.<\/p>\n
At 32, Till still has plenty of time left in the game but he also understands he can\u2019t fight forever, which is why he\u2019s pursuing the biggest and best fights possible from now until he calls it a career.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve never done it for the money. That\u2019s my problem,\u201d Till said. \u201cI do it because I want to fight the best. Carl Froch, Luke Rockhold, Nate Diaz, Nick Diaz, Jake Paul, we\u2019ve got to put him up there, Tommy Fury. I like fighting these people so just keep giving them to me. I\u2019ll keep winning.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes we lose and that\u2019s a part of life. That\u2019s what I\u2019m here for. I love fighting. Obviously, the next three or four years is me, and then after that, I\u2019ll probably just make a little gym and just teach jiu-jitsu classes or something like that. Ride off into the sunset, me and my woman.\u201d<\/p>\n