After 15 months of absence, British heavyweight Tyson Fury made a successful comeback to the ring against Russian Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday. The 37-year-old “Gypsy King” won by unanimous decision after twelve well-controlled rounds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in North London. This marked his 35th victory (against 2 losses and a draw) while handing his 36-year-old Russian opponent his third loss (against 21 wins).
Fury had retired in December 2024 after suffering his second defeat against Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk, only the second loss of his career. He announced his return in January following a car accident involving his English rival Anthony “AJ” Joshua, who lost two friends in the incident, and a few months after the suicide of his friend Ricky Hatton. As he entered the Tottenham arena, Fury played the Manchester City anthem “Blue Moon” in honor of Hatton, with “R.I.P Ricky” written on his shorts.
Makhmudov started aggressively in the fight, but Fury, more precise and effective, quickly took control. After the match, the victorious Fury directly challenged Joshua, inviting him to face him in the Battle of England. Joshua responded by showing willingness to accept the challenge but asserting his authority as the boss in the potential matchup.
Despite previous failed attempts to arrange a fight due to contractual disputes, fitness issues, and losses elsewhere, both camps seemed close to reaching an agreement before Joshua decided to take a career break following a tragic car accident in Nigeria in January.
