Luke Rockhold is just days away from making his professional boxing debut at Misfits 22 but his transition into the sport has actually been a long time coming.<\/p>\n
The former UFC middleweight champion has tested himself in various combat sports since ending his retirement with fights in BKFC and Karate Combat but he was always interested in boxing. In fact, Rockhold almost made his first appearance in the boxing ring at the most watched event in 2024 but timing just didn\u2019t work out so now he\u2019s preparing for his showdown against Darren Till instead.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been in talks with a lot of people,\u201d Rockhold told MMA Fighting. \u201cI had an opportunity to fight on the Jake Paul-[Mike] Tyson card. I\u2019ve been talking to Misfits about boxing, I\u2019ve always wanted to box. So I just started training. I just started training every f*cking day. It was like a six week deal before the Tyson-Paul fight and I just wasn\u2019t in shape, I wasn\u2019t ready. Opportunities are coming up, they come quick so be ready, be in shape and put it out there and shit happens.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been putting it on, putting it in and this is it. I think boxing, if anything, was the one hole in my game that I hadn\u2019t really perfected and I want to be a complete fighter and you only do this once.\u201d<\/p>\n
During his MMA career, Rockhold was always regarded as a very well-rounded fighter with good striking, grappling and wrestling but he\u2019s taking away some of his best weapons by making the move into boxing.<\/p>\n
As much as boxing reduces his overall arsenal, Rockhold appreciates that kind of challenge so he\u2019s been spending just about every waking moment of every single day getting ready for his debut.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like my boxing has come a long way and no one has really seen it,\u201d Rockhold said. \u201cTo put the shoes on, get in the ring, get that dance, get that movement and f*ck I can do it. I can do it with the best in the game and I\u2019m hurting people left and right in the gym and I don\u2019t expect it to be any different. I go out there and do what I\u2019m doing everyday right now and keep training, stay healthy, I don\u2019t think Darren should be able to exist more than a few rounds.\u201d<\/p>\n
After booking the fight against Till for Aug. 30, Rockhold traveled across the pond for a kickoff press conference where the fighters engaged in plenty of trash talk on stage.<\/p>\n
While Till has expressed respect for Rockhold as an opponent, he still decided to take shots at him for his past relationships and even questioning the fact that he dyed his hair blonde recently.<\/p>\n
Maybe it\u2019s all mind games but Rockhold promises nothing said bothers him and he just hopes that the one-time UFC title challenger is really getting himself ready because that brief interaction they shared on stage had him wondering if Till is actually putting everything into this fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I was in the gym training, he was in Ibiza f*cking off,\u201d Rockhold said. \u201cProbably on the Charlie. He looks like he\u2019s like 230 pounds right now. He better take things serious or otherwise, he\u2019s going to get put to sleep real soon.\u201d<\/p>\n
When it comes to his assessment on Till as an opponent, Rockhold is leaving no stone unturned in his preparation because he wants to sure he\u2019s ready for anything come fight night.<\/p>\n
So don\u2019t expect Rockhold to just tear Till down for the sake of hyping the fight because that just doesn\u2019t make much sense to him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a good boxer, no doubt,\u201d Rockhold said about Till. \u201cHe\u2019s one to be respected. We as fighters, we dig in and we try to find the faults and beat people down and break them down but there\u2019s no bullshit. He\u2019s a tough guy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know he\u2019s worried. I know he\u2019s scared. He\u2019s trying to point out weaknesses and faults in my game and I\u2019m not working hard enough, I\u2019m this, I\u2019m that. F*ck, I\u2019m here. I\u2019m just as good as I\u2019ve ever been if not better. I believe I\u2019m better than I\u2019ve ever been. I like to challenge myself. Boxing is something I\u2019ve always wanted to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
If all goes well on Saturday, Rockhold hopes to pursue more opportunities in boxing, perhaps even chasing somebody like Jake Paul for a fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m here to test myself and right the wrongs that are out there in this world,\u201d Rockhold said. \u201cThe fake fighters, the guys that pose as fighters, I\u2019d like to sleep some people. I\u2019d like to keep on fighting.<\/p>\n
\u201cJake\u2019s not setting up fights but he picks his guys very wisely. Everything he does is very systematic but he\u2019s coming to a point where he thinks he\u2019s getting better and he\u2019s going to have to fight somebody real. There\u2019s two middleweights fighting here pretty soon. Two guys just about his size that can hang.\u201d<\/p>\n