From the hyperbolic spectacle at the AT&T Stadium, boxing fans crossed the pond to witness a high drama that played out in London. Tyson Fury‘s brother Tommy Fury is set to return for a crossover fight on January 18. He will face UFC title contender Darren Till at the Co-Op Live in his hometown of Manchester. Soon after the respectful beginnings, their first press conference turned live wire as both sides went after each other.

With Till threatening to hurt his son, a near-brawl erupted as Tyson Fury’s father John Fury, and Tommy Fury joined the fray. Security was hard-pressed but managed to keep the two parties separate. What caught many by surprise was Darren Till proclaiming an intent to kick Tommy Fury if he failed to land a punch during their fight. Michael Benson shared a short clip that featured Till practicing head kicks with a trainer. Was that an attempt to intimidate Fury and hype up the upcoming fight? Possibly. But the bigger question remains: even if Till wants to, can he actually throw a kick in a boxing match?

Tommy Fury and Darren Till: A warning out of the blue

Tommy Fury last fought KSI on October 23 at the Manchester Arena. Though initially decisioned as a majority win for Fury, it was subsequently changed to a unanimous victory. So on the Misfits and DAZN: X Series 20, he would like to continue with his winning streak. Unless Till has other plans.

At the press conference, promising to ‘obliterate’ Tommy Fury, ‘The Gorilla’ said, “I’m an MMA fighter, so if I were to kick or elbow you in the face, I would, and no one would do anything about it. I’ll just kick you in the face; how about that? I’m going to kick you straight in the face; you won’t know what’s hit you. If I’m in the fight and I’m losing, I’m kicking him in the face.”

Tommy Fury did his bit to make Till realize that they would be facing each other in a boxing ring and not a cage. “You’re going to find out boxing is different from MMA,” reminded Tyson Fury’s half-brother. Darren Till, who hasn’t entered the octagon since his 2022 defeat to Dricus du Plessis, marked his boxing debut with an exhibition bout against Mohammad Mutie early in June this year.

Now many would dismiss ‘The Gorilla’s show at the presser as a literal chest beating. However, if he intends to back up his words, can he actually do it?

The framework and the case in point

Getting back to boxing rules, the answer is simple: a clear and integral ‘no’. Darren Till, or anyone for that matter, cannot kick in a boxing match. It’s an illegal strike that would likely result in a point deduction, disqualification, or, in extreme cases, a ban from the sport as well. Unlike other combat sports, boxing is distinct in that it focuses on a specific set of skills. Thereby, it deliberately makes it difficult for the committed opponents to strike at will. The involvement of kicks will completely undermine that uniqueness.

As Terence Crawford Crawford had put it most eloquently, “The name of the sport is called boxing for a reason… If you only want to see a fight, go watch UFC.” More so, one may as well refer to the recent example of the boxing match between Idris Abdurashidov and Bagher Faraji. The four-round bout in Thailand took a turn for the worse when the Russian Abdurashidov, an unbeaten MMA fighter, finding himself in a tight spot, decided to let go of a fierce kick in the fourth and final round. It instantly connected with Faraji’s head and knocked him down.

Abdurashidov received disqualification, and subsequently, reports emerged that he had been ‘banned for life’ from boxing. Seemingly, many fans weren’t satisfied with the punitive measure and wanted the ban to be extended to other forms of combat sports as well.

Hopefully, on January 18, fans will not get to see any kick flying around in a squared circle.

Between Tommy Fury and Darren Till, who is your pick for the win at the Co-Op Live?