Tyson Fury has officially confirmed his return to the ring, announcing in London that he will face Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11, as the former heavyweight champion made it clear he is back with renewed motivation and unfinished business.
Speaking after the press conference, Fury addressed his two defeats to Oleksandr Usyk: “I know, in my heart, I won them fights.” He went further, predicting that by the end of 2026, Usyk will be “begging” for a third encounter. “Whoever fights me gets very rich,” Fury said. “There’s no other person in the division that can bring that sort of entertainment and money factor to these fighters.”
The 37-year-old, who has been training in Thailand, described himself as rejuvenated. “I’ve had a year away from the sport and I’ve not been thinking about boxing much. When I’m in training, I’m happy… I still feel in my prime. I’ve got a lot more to offer and there are still some big fights there for me that I know I can win.” He promised fans watching on Netflix a “vintage Tyson Fury” and insisted this is “definitely not” the final chapter of his career.
Assessing his April opponent, Fury noted Makhmudov’s knockout power, citing 17 first-round stoppages and 20 knockouts in 23 fights, but dismissed concerns about size. “I’ve never struggled with bigger men. The bigger they are, the easier they are for me,” he said confidently.
Fury also weighed in on the WBO title clash between Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois, scheduled for May 9 in Manchester. While acknowledging Wardley as champion, Fury suggested both fighters are still building their profiles. “They need to keep building up… I’ve been in the game for 20 years, they’ve been in it for 20 minutes,” he said, adding that fights with either man would be easy to make. “They all want to fight the Gypsy King… I can sell that stadium out fighting Joe Bloggs. Now I’m back with a vengeance and I want a bit more action.”
Image Credit: BBC