Tyson Fury Ends 15-Month Hiatus To Fight Arslanbek Makhmudov

Former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury is set to make his highly anticipated return to the boxing ring on 11th April, after a 15-month absence. The “Gypsy King” will face Russian-born contender Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The 37-year-old announced his comeback on 4th January, a year after initially retiring following his second consecutive defeat to Oleksandr Usyk at the close of 2024.

Fury revealed that a tragic incident involving long-time rival Anthony Joshua played a significant role in his decision to return. Joshua was involved in a car crash in Nigeria in December, which tragically claimed the lives of two of his close friends.

“Tomorrow might not ever come and I suppose the biggest turning point in this comeback for me was the tragedy that happened with Anthony Joshua,” Fury stated at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday. “You should never put things off until tomorrow, or next year, or next week because tomorrow is not promised to nobody.”

Speculation regarding a long-anticipated Fury–Joshua showdown in 2026 has now been put on hold as Fury concentrates on his upcoming fight.

The former two-time world heavyweight champion also indicated that his motivation for returning goes beyond personal ambition.

“The truth of the matter is I came back for one reason only and that’s to make boxing great again,” Fury declared. “Since I’ve retired for the fifth time over a year ago, boxing for me has gone on a downward slope and it’s become quite boring.”