Darren Till KO's Luke Rockhold to win Misfits bridgerweight title

Darren Till scored a brutal third round knockout of former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold on Saturday night, stopping the American in the main event of Misfits Boxing 22 at the AO Arena in Manchester and claiming the promotion's inaugural bridgerweight title. The finish came at 1:08 of the third round, according to the event timekeepers, after Till had dropped Rockhold in the second and pressed the action until the referee halted the contest.

Till, 32, who has built a new career in crossover boxing since leaving the UFC, celebrated ringside and then attempted to confront former world champion Carl Froch, who was seated nearby. Security intervened. Froch later said he would consider light sparring to assess whether a comeback is possible but stopped short of committing to a fight. Promoters and pundits immediately began speculating about bigger matchups for Till, with names such as Froch, Jake Paul and other crossover attractions floated as potential next steps.

Accounts varied on Till's exact pro boxing record heading into the bout; some outlets described the Manchester fight as his third professional boxing match while others listed four. What was unanimous was the...