Darren Till extended the unbeaten start to his bare-knuckle boxing career Saturday, overcoming a cautious Yoel Romero by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46) inside the AO Arena in Manchester, England.
The two former UFC title challengers headlined BKFC 94 for the promotion’s return to the UK — a market BKFC founder David Feldman told Uncrowned this week will become a meaningful addition to the company’s schedule going forward.
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The cruiserweight headliner was a more strategic, cerebral bout rather than the explosive showdown many anticipated, with Till (2-0 BKFC) working from range while maintaining a greater output.
The 49-year-old Romero (1-1 BKFC) fought in bursts, repeatedly closing the distance and tying up the Brit. His heavier shots left Till, 33, bloodied midway through the fight, opening a nasty cut below his eye. However, the Cuban fighter struggled to sustain any meaningful offense and the scorecards showed an emphatic win despite several competitive rounds.
After the fight, Till mentioned possible fights against fellow Englishman Tommy Fury, BKFC fan-favorite Mike Perry, and BKFC’s pound-for-pound juggernaut Lorenzo Hunt.
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“I’ve called him out for years, I’m not scared of anyone,” Till said of Perry, before Hunt stormed into the ring and ignited a near-melee with the victorious Liverpudlian.
The card itself was wild and frenetic, as the knockouts came thick and fast on the prelims and main card.
One of the more surprising results was former British professional boxer Jack Cullen (3-0 BKFC) dethroning long-time BKFC middleweight champion David Mundell (10-3 BKFC) in only his third BKFC fight. The match was tied after five rounds, and Cullen claimed the winner-take-all sixth round to advance his unbeaten BKFC record.
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Elsewhere, Gaz Corran (3-0) beat Mac Bygraves (2-1) in a BKFC UK middleweight championship bout, and Karl Thompson (5-1) scored a lopsided decision win over Andy Thornton (2-1) in a BKFC UK cruiserweight title fight.
Keep scrolling for complete BKFC 94 results, highlight-reel moments, and Uncrowned’s play-by-play of all the action from first punch to last.
BKFC 94 full card results
Cruiserweight: Darren Till def. Yoel Romero by UD (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
BKFC middleweight championship: Jack Cullen def. David Mundell by SD (58-55, 56-57, 57-56)
BKFC UK middleweight championship: Gaz Corran def. Mac Bygraves by third-round TKO
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BKFC UK cruiserweight championship: Karl Thompson def. Andy Thornton by UD (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
Middleweight: Joe Lister def. Harry Bray by second-round KO
Welterweight: Mikey Henderson def. Matthew Wiwczaryk by first-round KO [watch finish]
Featherweight: Stew Martin def. Joshy Williams by second-round KO
Welterweight: Bartlomiej Krol def. Luke Vaughan by first-round KO [watch finish]
Middleweight: Leigh Cohoon def. Ste Wallwork by second-round KO
Middleweight: Benjamin Lowe def. Dan McGraffin by first-round KO [watch finish]
Welterweight: Tyrone Hamer def. Liam Dooley by third-round TKO [watch finish]
Welterweight: Luke Bassnett def. Darren Willans by second-round KO [watch finish]
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Alan Dawson
“You fought like a b**** tonight in front of your friends and family,” Hunt said, trashing Darren Till to his face. “You’ve got to press the pace. You know I won’t fight you like that.”
Till, unimpressed, eviscerates Hunt. “You’re just a punch bag. You’re style is s***. [Yoel Romero is] better than you. You will get slept Lorenzo. I’ve fought in every combat sport in the world.”
My priorities for Till next:
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Lorenzo Hunt (close second)
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Tommy Fury (distant third)
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Alan Dawson
On Tommy Fury: “Let’s get it on. I’m not going to chase ya. We can get it on in this ring, here.”
On Mike Perry: “I’ve called him out for years. I’m not scared of everyone. I’m feeling on top of the world.”
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Alan Dawson
… here we go.
All the scores are the same. 49-46.
It’s a unanimous decision…
… to DARREN TILL!
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Alan Dawson
Romero’s mouth is wide open in the fifth, breathing heavy. He licks Till’s cheek in the clinch. These guys are doing weird stuff to each other outside of the bare-knuckle punching. Left hand from Till. Massive left from Till! Now a big shot from Romero! Now they’re coming alive! It’s over. Fight should be Till’s.
Round 5: 50-45 — Till
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Alan Dawson
Referee separates Romero from Till because of the Cuban’s double underhooks. Till one-twos. And again. He then mixes it up with uppercuts. Till is bleeding heavily from the cut Romero opened up in the third round. They talk trash during a clinch and it’s like Till is shaking his blood on him. That’s a bit weird. Overhook from Till in a clinch and the referee calls for a break. Romero lands two nice shots towards the end.
Round 4: 40-36 — Till
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Alan Dawson
Quality flurry from Till in the third. There’s not much in the fight and Romero is in it, but Till is just a slight level above. He’s cautious but committed to the openings he finds. Romero throws and Till dips under the punch. Nice. Till touches him with his southpaw jab. We’re at the end of the round. This is professional, if not spectacular stuff, from Till. But Romero unloads right at the bell and Till’s bleeding! Wow!
Round 3: 30-27 — Till
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Alan Dawson
Till telegraphs with a one-two at the start of the second. Till has the middle of the ring. He lands a left hand. Throws the one-two again. Till starting to open up. He’s really pawing with his southpaw lead rather than committing to the jab. Romero lands a left hand! His most meaningful punch of the night. This isn’t saying much though. They both need to commit more — Till doing a better example of it. Uppercut now from Till! And the left! And again from Till! This is much better from the Englishman.
Round 2: 20-18 — Till
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Alan Dawson
A lot of talk about how good Romero looks at his age but Till also looks spectacular. He’s had a second-wind in his career since leaving UFC, and BKFC could be an extraordinary fit. He and Romero spend the opening 30 seconds feeling one another out. Not much landing as they look to find range. Romero goes so low it’s like he’s shooting for a takedown. Till lands the first meaningful punch — a straight left from southpaw position. Romero guns forward. They clinch at the ropes. The referee separates them. And we’re back to feeling one another out. Mostly range-finding action.
Round 1: 10-9 — Till
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Alan Dawson
Five rounds.
Cruiserweight.
Face of the company status on the line.
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Alan Dawson
Obviously.
Especially in Manchester.
This has been such a good advert for BKFC. They need to keep coming back to Britain.
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Alan Dawson
“He’s a machine,” Cullen said, praising Mundell. “I’ve come here and done it. In my third fight, I’ve won the title. That’s a big statement if you ask me.”
That could be the end of an era.
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Alan Dawson
Here. We. Go.
A split decision?!
58-55 for Cullen
57-56 for Mundell
And 57-56 to the winner by split decision …
… AND NEW!
It’s Cullen! He went and bloody did it! WOW!!!
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Alan Dawson
Nothing doing in the first 30 seconds but Cullen then turns Mundell after catching him with the three-punch combo. He pumps a big left hand into Mundell’s face! That’s massive! Mundell slips, is on the floor, but the referee waves for it to continue. Mundell’s losing his title at this rate! I didn’t believe it could happen tonight! The champion catches Cullen with a left of his hand and then pummels his midsection while clinching. 30 seconds remaining. Mundell has to land something big! This is Cullen’s fight to lose! I think he’s done it! The championship is changing hands!!!
57-56 to Cullen, for Uncrowned.
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Alan Dawson
Cullen dominated the punch stats at a 2:1 ratio. Mundell got the knockdown.
The judges scored it a draw, just like we did.
So we get another round!
It’s a winner-take-all moment!
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Alan Dawson
Cullen has really come alive down the stretch. And it’s all because of the flurries. He needs to keep throwing. Forget the single shots. Pap-pap-pap. Three-shot combos, baby. For Mundell, it’s about the inside work and pressing him into the ropes. This final round will come down to who asserts their gameplan more often than the other. Right now it’s Cullen! He’s landing HUGE hooks! This is crisp boxing from Cullen!
Round 5: 47-47
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Alan Dawson
Cullen with a one-two-three in the fourth round. He needs to win both rounds for the draw, on Uncrowned’s card, and a knockdown to win. Has to box perfect. Has started well enough here. Swelling under Mundell’s eye. The key has been throwing three-punch flurries. Something he wasn’t doing enough of in the opening rounds. Mundell presses him against the ropes but the ref separates them. Cullen lands! It’s ruled a slip. Cullen has clear momentum here and is cruising for another round in the books here. Is the comeback on?!? Oof. Big right hand from Mundell.
Round 4: 38-37 — Mundell
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Alan Dawson
Some big left hands at the start of the third round for Mundell. Cullen is behind but is boxing better, landing punches. Good comeback round.
Round 3: 29-27 — Mundell
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Alan Dawson
Mundell goes inside and throws shots to the either side of the head. This is where Mundell does big work, pressing him against the ropes and down goes Cullen with a left hook! Brilliant strategic fight from the champion so far. Cullen clatters Mundell as he tries to sneak his way inside. Mundell with a HUGE overhand right as he steps inside. Cullen has switched stances. Orthodox now. Cullen buckles Mundell’s legs and he holds on. This is an edge-of-the-seat chess match compared to the brawls we’ve seen all night. Big overhand left AGAIN from Mundell! That’s been a signature shot and he should keep throwing it.
Round 2: 20-17 — Mundell
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Alan Dawson
From the opening bell there is a clear size difference between Cullen, the challenger, and Mundell, the champion. As Cullen has extraordinary height on the middleweight king. Mundell looks to negate that by rushing Cullen and swarming him on the inside, to avoid the lead jab. Mundell throws an overhand left and pushes Cullen against the ropes. Very cerebral opening round. Cullen nowhere near as active as Mundell but does have a jab on him. And he cracks Mundell with the two when throwing the one-two! THAT’S the shot he should throw more! Let’s see more shots off the jab. Get that southpaw straight shot popping. Not much in it but I favor Mundell.
Round 1: 10-9 — Mundell
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Alan Dawson
… and the Redneck, David Mundell, makes his walk!
If Jack Cullen, the home fighter, pulls off the victory here it could be one of the more shocking results of the year.
Mundell has been dominating the pound-for-pound rankings in bare-knuckle for years.
It’s time! Five rounds for the BKFC middleweight championship.
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