Tommy Fury has abruptly cancelled his boxing bout with Darren Till after the former UFC fighter threatened to use MMA tactics that Fury believes are “stupid”.
Fury hasn’t been in the boxing ring since a victory over YouTuber KSI in October 2023 but was scheduled to face Till on 18 January in Manchester.
The press conference launching the fight descended into farce last month when it was cut short after Fury’s father John Fury – angered by comments from Till – threw water over him and caused a fracas.
Till had threatened to resort to his MMA background and kick Tommy Fury in the head during the latter stages of their fight if he was losing.
And Fury took to Instagram on Friday morning to announce the fight was now cancelled and that he would find a new opponent to face in the near future instead.
“I can’t believe I’m writing this but I am now not fighting Darren Till on January 18th 2025,” wrote Fury. “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.
“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. I promise to get a better opponent and better fight for you guys. Good news around the corner.”
Till almost immediately hit back with a social media video of his own, claiming he never intended to actually kick Fury and it was simply him selling the fight.
The 31-year-old also launched into a tirade against the ex-Love Island star and the whole Fury family.
In the caption to his video, Till wrote: “Tommy Fury you are the biggest s***house I have ever met in my life. Do not ever call yourself a fighter again.
“I was selling the fight to make me and you more money you absolute empty head. Fighting family my a**, you and your dad s***houses.
“I don’t need to throw kicks you was getting knocked spark out you divvy. We was making bank on this fight ‘cause of me, not you. I was building it, you should be fighting and should be thanking me.”
Tommy Fury u are the biggest shithouse I have ever met in my life do not ever call yourself a fighter again I was selling the fight to make me and you more money you absolute empty head fighting family my ass you and ur dad shithouses I don’t need to throw kicks you was getting… pic.twitter.com/St0pFmL2qC
— DT (@darrentill2) December 6, 2024
In the video itself, Till went on to explain that the kick comment was simply a ‘mental warfare tactic’ to get inside Fury’s head.
“I’ve just got to the gym now to do my sparring this morning,” added Till. “I’ve just been shown that Tommy Fury’s put up a f***ing post saying that he’s not fighting me because I’ve threatened to kick him in the head.
“I said I’d kick him in the head at the press conference as a mental warfare tactic and since then I haven’t said anything else. I’ve been hard at work in the gym preparing for this boxing match with him on January 18.
“I said to everyone that Tommy was gonna pull out regardless of anything. I f***ing knew it since the press conference. So now it’s confirmed what I said. He’s a s***house, family of s***houses and now Tommy’s not fighting.
“I’ve been hard at work boxing for two years. I haven’t thrown a kick in two years. I threw one kick on a video 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.
“So now I’ve got to the gym to do my sparring this morning, eight rounds of sparring and Tommy Fury’s pulled out. Tommy Fury, you are the biggest s***house I have ever come across. You are not a man.”