Tony Ferguson to box Salt Papi on card headlined by Darren Till vs. Luke Rockhold
The former interim UFC lightweight champion will make his boxing debut Aug. 30 at AO Arena in Manchester, England, as he battles social media influencer Salt Papi in a middleweight boxing bout at Misfits Boxing 22: Ring of Thrones.
The fight will serve as the co-main event to a boxing clash between former UFC stars Darren Till and Luke Rockhold.
The promotion announced both bookings on social media Wednesday.
Ferguson, 41, parted ways with the UFC after a submission loss to Michael Chiesa in August 2024. The defeat was his eighth in a row and his fifth finish loss in that stretch. Ferguson was briefly contracted to the quickly-evaporated GFL, and had been announced to fight vs. Dillon Danis for the promotion.
Salt Papi, 31, whose real name is Nathaniel Bustamante, rose to fame through YouTube and TikTok, amassing millions of followers. He's competed seven times in influencer boxing, compiling a 6-2 record, largely against other influencers.
Till, 32, has gone 3-0 in exhibition boxing since he requested his UFC release in 2023. He most recently competed in May when he defeated fellow UFC alum Darren Stewart by unanimous decision at Misfits Boxing 21.
Rockhold, 32, departed the UFC in 2022 after a battle with Paulo Costa. He fought Mike Perry in April 2023 for BKFC and lost by second-round TKO, before a violent knockout win over Joe Schilling in Karate Combat in April 2024. Rockhold has remained active in the world of grappling since his UFC release. The upcoming bout will be his boxing debut.
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