The build-up to their Misfits Boxing bout last weekend was marked by pre-fight tension but now that the dust has settled, Luke Rockhold says that he has nothing but respect for Darren Till.

Former UFC welterweight title challenger Till continued his upstart boxing career, defeating the former UFC and Strikeforce 185-pound champion by knockout three rounds into their six-round fight which topped the latest Misfits card in Manchester, England.

In the bout, Till’s third pro bout and Rockhold’s first, Till appeared to struggle to contain Rockhold’s jab early before landing a late combination in the first frame which sent his foe to the canvas. As the fight wore on, Till appeared too sharp for Rockhold, who was struggling to find an entry-point back into the contest.

And then near the midpoint of the third, Till landed the fight-ending combo as he trapped Rockhold against the ropes before collapsing him unconscious against the ropes.

The fight came after significant pre-fight tensions which came to a head at the pre-fight press conference as Till demanded the fight be fight to be extended to eight rounds from the scheduled six.

But in the ring, Till showed little interest in extending the bout past its initial duration, as least judging by his action in the third round.

Afterwards, despite the acrimony which had previously existed, both Till and Rockhold were pictured together sharing a drink in a local bar in Manchester — with Rockhold later taking to social media to bury any hatchets which may have remained.

“Shit happens, it’s all love [Darren Till],” Rockhold wrote in a brief statement on social media. “All the best to you brother.”

After the bell, Till called for a showdown with the retired former world champion Carl Froch and has also admitted his interest in one day boxing the influencer Jake Paul.