Luke Rockhold Insists Darren Till Fight Is His Blueprint for Boxing Perfection

Former UFC champ Luke Rockhold is ditching the cage for the boxing ring on August 30. Though it will be his first time with boxing gloves, he doesn’t see the event as just another celebrity crossover fight. 

Darren Till is his opponent, who holds a 2–0 boxing record and most recently outclassed Darren Stewart. Since it will be the fight for Misfits Bridgerweight title, Rockhold views the bout as a perfect stepping stone in his quest to master the boxing art.

Luke Rockhold Looks to Perfect His Boxing Art with Darren Till Fight

Since the announcement of the Misfits Boxing 22 Main Event, Rockhold hasn’t kept his ambitions for the Misfits ‘Ring of Thrones’ card secret. Recently, speaking to talkSPORT, he made clear this isn’t a one-off spectacle. He took the event as part of a longer-term plan to perfect his boxing skills before moving on to bigger names in the sport.

The former Strikeforce and UFC champion sees Till as the ideal opponent to test his boxing skills without jumping in at the deep end. “Darren’s a decent boxer. He has fun,” Rockhold said, previewing their headline clash. “I’ve always wanted to box. [Till] is a good dance… I’m looking forward to the dance and the test for sure.”

The California native’s approach is methodical rather than reckless. He’s treating Till as what boxers call a “measuring stick fight”-challenging enough to learn from, but not so dangerous it ends his boxing ambitions before they start.

At 39, Luke Rockhold looks extremely motivated to add boxing mastery to a resume that already includes world titles in two major MMA organizations. So, no way this is a retirement nostalgia driving Rockhold back into combat sports. “Darren’s a perfect way to get my feet warm, put them down and move on,” he explained, making his intentions crystal clear.

𝑰𝑻’𝑺 𝑭𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻 𝑾𝑬𝑬𝑲 🔥

One of the best cards Misfits Boxing has ever seen, headlined by Darren Till vs Luke Rockhold and Tony Ferguson vs Salt Papi 🔥

Get your PPV ➡️ https://t.co/ZNa7AZTFkL@MF_DAZNXSeries | @PrimeHydrate pic.twitter.com/2fUFNIO0GK

— Misfits Boxing (@MisfitsBoxing) August 25, 2025

“I have plans to better myself and to get better at boxing,” he added when asked about his future with Misfits. “Boxing is like, it’s my last art of fighting that I haven’t really perfected.”

The best part is that he is enjoying the process of perfecting this art, just as he has always done in life. He said, “I think with boxing, there have been some holes in my game, and I’m looking forward to cleaning those up and becoming a little more dangerous.”

ALSO READ: Mike Perry vs Jeremy Stephens Headlines Oct. 4 BKFC Event

Darren Till’s Hand Still Broken Ahead of Explosive Luke Rockhold Showdown

Now, on paper, Darren Till may seem to have the upper hand heading into the Misfits Boxing 22 main card. But in reality, he doesn’t hold that advantage. The Liverpool fighter’s hand remains broken from his previous bout, which could backfire at the AO Arena in Manchester.

In a recent interview with Bloody Elbow, he shared the news: “I mean, to be honest, my hand is still broken from the fight. That says everything about what is in that man’s head because I knock people out for fun and I couldn’t knock him out,” Till said.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by MF & DAZN X Series (@mf_daznxseries)

However, he wears it as a badge of honor rather than a concern.”Luke can’t take what Darren could take,” Till said, referring to his opponent’s granite chin in his last fight. “I know this because all my coaches and everyone I’ve sparred around the gym knows how hard I hit with these gloves on.”

ALSO READ: Ryan Garcia Erupts on Raja Jackson After Leaving Syko Stu Unconscious and Hospitalized

He seems unconcerned about the injury hampering his chances. If anything, Till views this physical challenge as proof that his punching power is successfully transitioning to boxing. 

Main image credit: IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire