Darren Till and Darren Stewart delivered a classic main event at Misfits Boxing 21 in Derby. Till secured two significant knockdowns, notably one with the very last punch of the fight. However, that was only part of the story in the thrilling boxing match against fellow former UFC fighter Stewart, who recovered well after being dropped early on and gave Till a significant challenge.
Stewart grew into the main event increasingly after being dropped earlier, giving Till a serious scare.
On the undercard, Wakey Wines achieved a surprising points win over Mo Deen, sending the Derby crowd into a frenzy. Ty Mitchell also stopped Idris Virgo to claim the Misfits Pro Light Heavyweight title.
Main Event: Darren Till vs Darren Stewart – Round-by-Round Summary
The fight was a closely contested battle:
- Round 3: Stewart consistently sought the clinch, much to the crowd`s dissatisfaction. Till was frequently pushed against the ropes, hindering his long left hand. Stewart had perhaps his best round so far, landing some effective short hooks.
- Round 4: Another tight round that could have gone either way. Stewart found more success, with the referee allowing considerable clinching. Towards the end, Till began landing his left hand again, sneaking a hook around Stewart`s guard.
- Round 5: Darren Stewart began to assert control, constantly pressing Till onto the ropes. Stewart landed a clean hook in the clinch with a confident smile. Till found himself largely on the back foot and needed to increase his offensive output to win.
- Round 6: Similar to the previous rounds, Till was against the ropes while Stewart landed inside punches. Although many punches landed on Till`s guard, his lack of return fire made it difficult for judges to score in his favor. Stewart appeared dominant through most of this round.
- Round 7: Again on the ropes, Till managed to land some uppercuts and hooks, but without significant impact. Stewart concluded the round with a flurry of hooks, but again, they didn`t ignite the crowd. Stewart continued to apply pressure. The fight headed into the eighth and final round.
- Round 8: Till showed more fight in this final round. As Stewart closed the distance, Till landed some clean hooks that pushed him back. Till`s left hook connected well on the chin. Stewart continuously looked for the clinch. Till sustained a cut on his head. Right at the bell, Till landed a clean straight left that sent Stewart tumbling! The referee counted to 10, and Stewart managed to get back to his feet, but only after the round concluded. It was a wild finish, leaving many wondering what might have happened with more time.
Official Result and Scorecards
Darren Till won the fight via unanimous decision. The official scorecards were 77-74, 77-74, and 77-73, all in favor of “The Gorilla”. While it was a very close contest, Till`s early and final-second knockdowns were ultimately decisive.
Post-Fight Reactions and Call-Outs
Following his victory, Darren Till shared his thoughts inside the ring. He praised Darren Stewart, calling him “one tough b******” and noting Stewart was impossible to move. Till mentioned he might have broken his hand during the fight but expressed respect for Stewart, whom he`s known since 2017. When asked about his next opponent, Till called out KSI, asking where he was and stating his willingness to cut weight for a fight. He also teased the possibility of teaming up with KSI to face the Paul brothers, Jake and Logan, in a tag-team match.
Ty Mitchell, after winning the Misfits Pro Light Heavyweight title, also gave his post-fight perspective. Despite securing the win, he felt “not that great” due to “ring rust”. Mitchell was open to fighting anyone, specifically mentioning Ben Whittaker and Carl Froch as potential future opponents, and playfully suggesting a “Derby vs Forest” theme for a fight against Froch.
Misfits Boxing CEO KSI, who was ringside, reacted positively to the event on social media, stating that Misfits 21 “had everything tonight” and is “back and is NEEDED in the boxing scene”.
Full Fight Card Results from Misfits Boxing 21:
- Ckari Cani Mansilla KO`d Dylan price in round 8.
- Amir Anderson defeated Ernesto Olvera by KO in round 3.
- Joey Knight beat Andrew Howson by unanimous decision.
- Tempo Arts wins by unanimous decision in the Heavyweight survivor tag.
- Jordan Banjo wins by TKO against Wil Anderson in round 4.
- Wakey Wines defeated Mo Deen by unanimous decision.
- Fox the G gets the unanimous decision victory over Walid Sharks.
- Chase DeMoor KO`d Tank Tolman in round 3.
- Ty Mitchell wins by TKO against Idris Virgo in the third round.
- Darren Till defeated Darren Stewart by unanimous decision.
