Anthony Taylor required medical assistance and oxygen after a sixth-round stoppage by Darren Till.
The former UFC competitor Till dominated the contest, securing three knockdowns before the referee intervened to end the bout. Taylor subsequently collapsed while leaving the ring, though Misfits co-founder Mams Taylor later confirmed the American had regained consciousness and received clearance from medical staff to leave the arena without requiring hospitalization.
The evening’s events took an unexpected turn during the post-bout interview when Till directed his attention to Tommy Fury, who had withdrawn from their originally scheduled matchup, leading to Taylor stepping in as a replacement.
“All of yas, ya f***ing *****,” Till declared before making an abrupt exit from the ring, calling out multiple potential opponents including Jorge Masvidal, Mike Perry, Tommy Fury, and KSI.
The bout’s arrangement came after Fury’s December announcement of his withdrawal, citing concerns over Till’s commitment to boxing regulations. During their initial press conference, Till had made controversial statements regarding his intended approach to the contest.
“Well at the end of the day if I can’t beat you, I’ll just kick you in the face in there, how about that?” Till had stated, though he later claimed these comments were meant to generate publicity.
Fury, whose last appearance resulted in a unanimous decision victory against KSI in October 2023, explained his withdrawal on social media: “I can’t believe I’m writing this but I am now not fighting Darren Till on January 18 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 loosing the fight he will resort to kicking and other stupid MMA tactics.”
Taylor, who entered the contest with a record of three wins and three losses, stepped in on short notice. Despite showing resilience after a fourth-round knockdown, he ultimately succumbed to Till’s pressure in the sixth round, leading to the referee’s intervention.
— Fights (@FIGHTZSS) January 18, 2025
