Former UFC welterweight title challenger Darren Till covered up a tattoo of a girl, sparking debate among fight fans.

The Liverpudlian is set to make his Misfits Boxing debut tonight against Anthony Taylor, almost two years after his departure from the UFC. Till left the MMA promotion to explore other opportunities. He was scheduled to make his professional boxing debut against former Mexican WBC middleweight boxing champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr last July, but the fight was ultimately canceled.

Instead, he faced Palestinian mixed martial arts champion Mohammad Mutie in an exhibition boxing match at Social Knockout 3 in Dubai the same month. Despite a blow to the back of Muti’s head, Till was declared the winner by technical knockout in the second round.

He is currently expected to move to Manchester but faces a tough opponent in Taylor, who has extensive experience in the Misfits world. Fans noticed that Till covered up a tattoo of his girlfriend’s face with a gorilla. He previously stated that he got the tattoo so that the woman, the mother of his two children, would always be close to him, even during fights.

Many fans wrongly believed that Till’s tattoo resembled former UFC star Paige VanZant, but the Liverpool MMA fighter rejected such suggestions. “That’s my girl,” Till explained about the ink. “It was a surprise for her on her birthday. I thought, ‘Yes, I’ll do something different. I’ll put a tattoo on her face.”

The topic of tattoos continued, but Till insisted: “It’s not Paige VanZant, I don’t even know who she is. As I said about my girlfriend, she is second to none. So every time I fight, she fights too. And she gets beat up by me, so if she pisses me off, I just go to the gym and let some guys beat me up.”

The combat sports world has also been abuzz with news of Till’s potential fight with Tommy Fury, which has now fallen apart. Fury explained his decision to withdraw in a statement on social media: “I can’t believe I’m writing this but now I’m not fighting Darren Till on January 18. For one straightforward reason: Darren has repeatedly stated that he does not want to follow the rules of professional boxing and that if he loses a fight, he will resort to kicks and other stupid MMA tactics.”

Fury continued to explain, emphasizing his dedication to boxing and lamenting the wasted preparation. “I’m a professional boxer, I’ve been out of the ring for over a year and I wanted it to be a great boxing match for the fans. I wasted weeks in training camps. We are working demanding to find a fresh opponent and I promise that I will find a better opponent and a better fight for you. Good news just around the corner.”

Despite earlier declarations that the fight with Jake Paul would not affect his lifestyle, Mike Tyson spent £11 million on a up-to-date, elegant residence. The 58-year-old icon returned to the ring last year in a spectacle streamed on Netflix against the YouTuber-turned-boxer.

The fight, initially postponed due to health problems Tyson experienced in May, ultimately resulted in a victory for 31-year-old Paul at AT&T Stadium in Texas in November. Tyson made around £16m from the event but was adamant that money was not his motivation.

He said Fox Sports Radio after the fight: “No, no, no, this paycheck won’t change my lifestyle at all.” Before the fight, he rejected claims that the reason for his return as a “bull****” was for financial gain.

At the MMA event, Tyson explained: “I’m a man, I want to go out there and take risks. Sometimes I want to see who I really am. I want to see what I’m really made of. I want to perform in front of the world.”

Nevertheless, just a few months after the fight, Tyson treated himself to a luxurious mansion in Delray Beach, Florida. According to Palm Beach Post Officethe property deal closed for $13 million (just under £11 million), and earlier this week a special guarantee agreement was filed confirming that Tyson now owns the 2.7-acre estate in the exclusive Tierra del Rey Estates.

Joseph Jonathan Schneider, representing Tyson, said: “This was a successful transaction and all parties demonstrated professionalism and cooperation. The Tyson family has been a valued client and friend for many years and it has been a pleasure working with them.”

Real estate agent Matthew Maschler previously revealed how Tyson was tempted to buy in Tierra del Rey Estates, which translates to “Land of Kings,” after his daughter started playing tennis in the area. He said, “Basically, he likes that his daughter is playing tennis and playing tennis in Delray.”

While most boxing followers can’t wait for Tyson to hang up his gloves, speculation is rife about a potential third fight with 62-year-old Evander Holyfield, who won the first fight between the pair in 1996. In the rematch, Tyson was disqualified after biting off a piece of his opponent’s ear.

Actor and martial arts expert Paulo Tocha, who is close to Tyson, recently said: “Finally [of the Paul fight]he kind of let us know there was another one coming. Most likely, however, it will be Evander. Him and Evander – after what happened to his ear and all that. So it will most likely be something like this.”

Tonight in Manchester, Darren Till will finally step into the ring against Anthony Taylor.

The former UFC title challenger was originally scheduled to face Tommy Fury, but Fury pulled out after Till threatened to kick him in the face. Now Till is ready to make his Misfits debut against Taylor. “Pretty Boy” has decent in-ring experience, having already defeated Salt Papi and King Kenny.

Taylor, who was previously defeated by Fury, will pose a tough challenge for Till, who returns to competition two years after leaving the UFC, where he was a welterweight title challenger. There’s plenty of action on the undercard tonight too, and here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s fights…

What time is Darren Till – Anthony Taylor tonight?

The star-studded gala will take place at the Co-Op Live Arena in Manchester. The main card is expected to start around 6pm UK time, 12pm ET and 9am PT. The main event ring walks will likely take place around 10 p.m. The two stars will touch gloves just after 10:15 p.m., before the first bell rings. The fight is not expected to start later, but may be pushed forward if the card shortage fights end earlier than expected.

How to watch Darren Till vs Anthony Taylor on TV and live in the UK

The eagerly anticipated clash between the two fighters will be broadcast live on DAZN, available in over 200 countries around the world. This event is included in the standard DAZN subscription package, giving boxing enthusiasts the chance to sign up to the site and follow all the action.

Full Misfits 20 fight card and UK start times

Darren Till vs. Anthony Taylor – 10 p.m
Wade Plemons vs. Masai Warrior – 9:00 p.m
Carla Jade vs. Melanie Shah – 8:30 p.m
Sami Hamed vs. Ziggy Johnson – 8:00 p.m
Ty Mitchell vs. Tommy Hench – 7:30 p.m
Adam Brooks vs. Gavinio – 7:00 p.m
BBCC Gareth vs. Kak Hatt – 18:30
Little T vs. Afghan Dan – 6:00 p.m

Quotes corner

Darren Till stated: “You are just shit. Sorry to be disrespectful, but you really are shit. You fall off your feet and flap your wings. Actually, I don’t think so. you realize what you’re getting into with me. So I won’t even talk, I’ll just beat you. I respect you and then I’ll just move on because you really are shit, I promise you, you’re shit.”

Anthony Taylor calculated: “He may have more experience in the cage, but I have more experience in the boxing ring. You can’t expect an MMA or UFC fighter to come in and beat someone who has that kind of boxing experience. Look what happened when Mike Perry came to box with Jake Paul. He felt ashamed.