Darren Till knocked out Luke Rockhold in the third round at Misfits 22, winning the MFB bridgerweight belt and showing he's got serious boxing skills.
The former UFC title challenger made a statement with a brutal, clean knockout that proved he's more than just an MMA fighter trying his hand at boxing. Till's performance got people talking about his potential in the squared circle.
Till left MMA because of knee injuries that kept him sidelined. Now, at 31 years old, he's found a new path in boxing that could make him a star. He's even hinted that he might return to the UFC Octagon someday.
After the fight, fans and fighters started calling for a matchup between Till and Jake Paul. They think it makes more sense than Paul's current plan to face Gervonta Davis.
Demetrious Johnson, the former UFC flyweight champ, shared his thoughts on his YouTube channel 'Mighty':
"I truly feel Darren Till has found his sport. He put his hands together and he is not scared to exchange. A lot of people are probably afraid to fight Darren Till when it comes to boxing. I would love to see him versus Jake Paul. That fight does not make sense to me [referring to Paul vs. Davis]. I think Darren Till versus Jake Paul will be a great fight."
Johnson thinks Till is a better match for Paul in terms of size, age, and style compared to Davis.
Michael Bisping also weighed in on the potential matchup:
"Darren Till has a lot of options now. A lot of big fights. There is a potential Jake Paul. That won't happen because he would smoke Jake Paul. He would destroy Jake Paul."
Till's got some advantages that make him an interesting opponent. He's a southpaw with real knockout power, and he's riding high after his recent win. Plus, he's got name recognition from his UFC days, and his knockout went viral on social media.
Jake Paul has been careful about who he fights, mostly taking on retired legends instead of active fighters in their prime. He's got an exhibition bout with Gervonta 'Tank' Davis set for November 14, which means there's already money tied up in that fight.
Even though people keep talking about a Till vs Paul matchup, it might not happen. Till could be too risky for Paul, and Paul doesn't have much reason to take that kind of gamble. Till's even mentioned he might be interested in fighting Carl Froch instead.
For now, Darren Till isn't on Jake Paul's radar. But if he keeps winning and making noise in the boxing world, he'll be hard to ignore.
