UFC: Darren Till says Israel Adesanya ‘easier fight’ than Robert Whittaker; promises he will face champ ‘one day’
- ‘Give me a little time, I’ll come back,’ says Till as Adesanya praises his performance in UFC Fight Island loss against Whittaker
- Till also open to rematch against ‘The Reaper’ in New Zealand – ‘I feel like we both won the fight’
Darren Till was in strangely high spirits despite his unanimous decision loss to Robert Whittaker in Sunday’s UFC Fight Island 3 main event.
“I’ve never felt like this after a loss, I feel OK,” Till said at the post-event press conference inside Flash Forum in Abu Dhabi. “It was probably one of the toughest fights I’ve been in, just so mentally stressful. A chess match.
“A close fight against the former champion, I’m up there. I showed how clinically good I am at striking. A lot of these guys, even Whittaker, said I’ve only got a left hand. Well, if I’ve only got a left hand and I’m at this level, that’s worse for them. They’ve got everything.
“I’m just happy there’s a Monster right here. I’m addicted to this s***,” he added, grabbing a can of the energy drink that sponsors the UFC placed on the table in front of him. “Carry on, what was the question?”
Asked who he wants to fight next, Till burped after taking a sip. “I don’t know, there’s a few fights there. If Rob doesn’t get the title shot, I’d love to go to New Zealand or something and fight Rob again,” Till said. “Maybe I lacked a few things we worked on in the gym. Little disappointing.
“I say this here convincingly, I am going to be a champion. These are all little walls you face. Either man could’ve won the fight. I was the more powerful guy, he was the busier guy. Some judges could see the power shots win the fight, other judges see the busier fighter win. He obviously won but in my mind we both won.
