Till On Life After Fighting Without New Obsession

Darren Till worries he could spiral into trouble after retirement unless he locks down a new passion before he hangs up the gloves.

The former UFC welterweight title challenger spoke candidly on Ariel Helwani's show following the recent arrests of Dustin Poirier and Anthony Smith, suggesting retired fighters often chase unhealthy highs when they lose the rush of competition. Till, who has fought in bare-knuckle and boxing since leaving the UFC in 2022, said he has not yet identified the next chapter that will keep him grounded.

Till Diagnoses The Problem Facing Retired Fighters

Poirier was arrested at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport after reportedly threatening an officer while intoxicated and using a racial slur. He has since apologized and pledged sobriety. Smith faces far graver allegations after witnesses reported hearing gunshots from his home during an incident involving his wife. Till said those cases have forced him to reckon with his own future.

"I think life after fighting, if we don't find a healthy obsession, more than likely we always find an unhealthy obsession," Till told Helwani, per Sherdog. "Because I think it gives us the same type of high that fighting does." He acknowledged behaving similarly to Poirier on weekends and said he has no interest in casting judgment. "I'm 10 times worse than all these other fighters," Till added. "I do get a bit scared myself for what's to come, so I now need to be thinking, over the next three years, what to put in place so it doesn't end up like that."

Till meets Yoel Romero in a bare-knuckle bout at BKFC 94 on Sept. 26. He has logged three boxing wins and one bare-knuckle victory since his UFC departure.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Darren Till fears life after fighting without a new ‘healthy obsession’