If there exists a list of the weirdest staredowns in combat sports, Darren Till’s recent faceoff would definitely make the top five.
Till is poised to lock horns with renowned influencer boxer Anthony Taylor in an eight-round heavyweight showdown, headlining Misfits X Series 20 on Jan. 18 at Co-op Live in Manchester, England.
Ahead of their showdown this weekend, Till and Taylor came together at the pre-fight press conference on Thursday. After a relatively tame exchange on the mic, the two boxers engaged in one of the most bizarre staredowns in recent memory.
Taylor made every effort to spice up the faceoff with some quirky banter during the close encounter, but “The Gorilla” remained largely unfazed. At one point, Till even walked off the stage, leaving everyone puzzled, only to return moments later.
“I’m about to make easy work of you,” Taylor said. “Yeah, I’m about to get them veneers redone for you. I want you to say something. You think you big and bad because you trained with pro boxers. Your whole team is sh*t.”
Till was originally slated to face Tommy Fury at the same event but “TNT” withdrew from the bout, citing concerns over the playful threat of being kicked by the former UFC welterweight title challenger — a warning Till jokingly issued during the promotional press conference.
“The Gorilla” has been relatively inactive since parting ways with the UFC, where he endured a challenging 1-5 record in his final six bouts. However, he returned to action in a boxing match at Social Knockouts 3 in July 2024, earning a bizarre TKO victory over Mohammad Mutie.
