Tommy Fury has called off his highly anticipated boxing fight with Darren Till, originally scheduled for January 18, 2025, in Manchester. Fury cited Till’s repeated threats to use MMA techniques, including a head kick, as the reason behind his decision.
In a Friday Instagram post, Fury explained:
“I can’t believe I’m writing this but I am now not fighting Darren Till on January 18th 2025. For the one simple reason being that Darren has stated over and over that he does not want to abide by professional boxing rules and that if he is losing the fight he will resort to kicking and other stupid MMA tactics.”
Fury added that he was looking forward to providing fans with a proper boxing match, expressing disappointment over wasted preparation time:
“I am a professional boxer, I have been out of the ring for over a year, and I wanted this to be a great BOXING fight for the fans. I have wasted weeks in training camp… We are working hard to get a new opponent and date. Good news around the corner.”
Press Conference Chaos
The tension between Fury and Till boiled over at a press conference last month. John Fury, Tommy’s father, abruptly ended the event by throwing water at Till after provocative comments from the former UFC fighter.
At the heart of the feud was Till’s statement that he would rely on his MMA background and kick Fury in the head if the fight wasn’t going his way. Fury and his team took the threat seriously, ultimately leading to the cancellation.
Till’s Retaliation
Darren Till responded swiftly, accusing Fury of being scared and overreacting. In a fiery social media video, Till called Fury a coward and claimed his “kicking” comment was simply a promotional tactic:
“Tommy Fury, you are the biggest s***house I have ever met in my life. I was selling the fight to make me and you more money, you absolute empty head.”
Till also took aim at the Fury family:
“Fighting family my a**, you and your dad s***houses… You should be fighting and should be thanking me.”
Mental Warfare or Genuine Threat?
In his video, Till clarified that his comment about head-kicking Fury was never serious and was meant to get inside Fury’s head:
“I said I’d kick him in the head as a mental warfare tactic. Never in a million years would I throw a head kick in a fight that is only boxing rules. I stick to the rules. I’ve always abided by the rules throughout my whole career.”
Till expressed frustration, claiming he had been training diligently for the fight:
“I’ve been hard at work boxing for two years. I haven’t thrown a kick in two years… Tommy Fury, you are not a man.”
Fury’s Next Move
Fury now looks to secure a new opponent for his return to the ring. Fans remain divided, with some supporting Fury’s decision to prioritize professionalism and others accusing him of overreacting to Till’s comments.
The cancellation has left a gap in Fury’s comeback plans, but he has assured fans that an announcement about his next fight is imminent. Meanwhile, Till continues to defend his actions, claiming the fight fell apart due to Fury’s lack of resolve.
This saga highlights the blurred line between pre-fight hype and professionalism, leaving fans to speculate on what might have been.