Days after the spectacle between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, another potential circus fight is ready to dawn after Tommy Fury and Darren Till held a press conference to announce their upcoming fight on January 18, 2025. The Fury-Till bout will headline a Misfits Boxing card that is set to be broadcasted on DAZN and staged in Fury’s hometown of Manchester at the Co-Op Live Arena.
Curiously, Tommy Fury will be competing on a card promoted by Misfits Boxing―which counts social media influencer Olajide Olatunji [KSI] as a co-founder and owner of the promotional outfit. Fury and Olatunji last fought in October of 2023 in a 6-round cruiserweight (200 lbs) which Fury won by unanimous decision (UD).
As a professional, Fury currently holds a record of 10 wins and 4 losses but the younger brother of decorated heavyweight (200+ lbs) Tyson Fury (34-1-1, 24 KO’s) has not yet managed to either be active or competitive in the 200 lbs division where he made his pro debut.
Notably, Fury’s last two fights came against social media influencers Olajide Olatunji and Jake Paul, suggesting Tommy Fury is not focused on cultivating a genuine professional career. This is further characterized by Fury’s upcoming bout against British former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) star Darren Till whose last MMA fight occurred in December of 2022. Till currently holds no professional boxing record and will be making his pro debut against Tommy on January 18 next year.
The upcoming clash has been confirmed to take place at heavyweight (200+ lbs).
As with Jake Paul’s heavily-criticized fight against Mike Tyson on November 15, the Fury-Till fight satnds poised to become another stain to the sport of boxing depending on the outcome and performance of both fighters. While Tommy Fury does hold a professional boxing record, like Paul, there remains a chance of the Fury-Till being misrepresented as what constitutes as a professional bout.
The typical nature of such a bout where popularity appears to draw in consumers rather than athletic or boxing ability classifies the Fury-Till bout as a “YouTube fight”1. As such, neither competitor is expected to seriously contend, identifying the primary motive for arranging the fight as a clear cash-grab2 and again threatening the credibility of the sport following the November 15 debacle between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson.
This notion of the fight being more of a profitable embarrassment was reflected throughout yesterday’s press conference which depicted Tommy Fury and Darren Till almost involved in a pointless brawl that perfectly encapsulated the less serious and entertainment-driven nature of YouTube fights.
- A YouTube fight typically features influencers or content creators stepping into a boxing ring, mixing amateur skills with professional promotion. These events, driven by fan engagement and social media hype, often prioritize entertainment over athletic merit. ↩︎
- A “cash grab” refers to an event or product designed primarily to generate profit with minimal effort or value provided. It often prioritizes financial gain over quality or purpose, capitalizing on trends, hype, or fan loyalty. ↩︎
