Darren Till, preparing for a boxing match against Darren Stewart, is interested in a future fight with Jake Paul, acknowledging Paul’s legitimacy as a fighter while expressing indifference about securing the match despite the financial allure.
As Darren Till gears up for his boxing bout against Darren Stewart at Misfits Boxing 21 this Friday, he’s also keeping tabs on future opponents. One name on his radar? Jake Paul, who’s set to face Julio Caesar Chavez Jr. in June.
While many fighters are drawn to Paul’s star power and the financial perks of fighting him, Till’s interest is a bit different. He was initially supposed to fight Chavez in 2024 on a Netflix card featuring Paul vs. Mike Tyson. Unfortunately, Tyson’s illness delayed the event.
That fight with Chavez never got rescheduled. Now, it’s Paul taking on Chavez, and Till is unsure who to back. “Chavez should beat him, but I don’t know,” Till shared with MMA Fighting. “Jake keeps winning. Is he that good?”
Till’s torn. “Chavez should probably win, but I don’t know. Jake’s going to win. There’s something going on in the background that we all don’t know about.”
In 12 professional fights, Paul has faced only a few seasoned boxers. His wins mostly came against MMA fighters like Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva. His sole loss? A close decision to Tommy Fury.
Chavez, apart from a win over a 58-year-old Tyson, is arguably Paul’s toughest opponent yet. Despite this, Till is tired of the constant criticisms aimed at Paul. “For starters, let’s stop saying Jake Paul’s not a fighter,” Till said. “He’s been boxing for years with a full team.”
“Jake Paul is a fighter. He’s a boxer. OK, maybe he’s lacking here or there, but he’s a fighter. This narrative needs to go away.”
Till believes the insults stem from potential opponents wanting Paul’s attention. They claim he’s not a real fighter, hoping to lure him into a match. But Till isn’t taking that route.
“Look, I get it. Fighting Jake Paul means money,” Till admitted. “I’d love to fight him, but I’m not begging. Jake doesn’t want to fight me. I’m good.”
Till knows he’d be the undercard to Paul, and he’s fine with that. “I’m not going to compete over who’s got more money,” he laughed. “Jake Paul’s got more money than me! But in a fight, I know I win.”
“If Jake wanted to make a bet, I’d say, ‘Jake, I can’t match your money. Take your bet and shove it.’ I’m a realist.”
If Till beats Stewart on Friday, he might call out Paul, but don’t expect him to beg for it. “Jake Paul’s the ‘A’ side,” Till said. “Would love that fight. If I don’t get it, so f*cking what?”