Tyson Fury vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov | Netflix - 11 April 2026

[jamesmcdonnell]

Tyson Fury outlines three-fight plan for 2026

Tyson Fury says Saturday night’s Netflix clash with Arslanbek Makhmudov will be his first of three fights in a busy 2026.
Fury and Makhmudov clash in the headline fight of The Ring card at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, in what will be the first British event broadcast live by streaming giant Netflix.

The showdown will also bring an end to Fury’s 16-month retirement from the ring, which started when he was beaten for the second consecutive time by Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024.

Now, during a live interview on Monday's "Inside The Ring," Fury confirmed that he plans to box three times before 2026 ends—a run that could involve back-to-back fights with British rival Anthony Joshua.

He said: “I just want to get as many big fights as I can at this stage of my career. I’ve won every belt there is, I’ve completed the game of boxing.

“It’s not really about a belt anymore it’s just that I want to make that Anthony Joshua fight that was supposed to have happened for the last 10 years but hasn’t.

“Obviously I have this big fight in front of me in Makhmudov first and then we don’t know what the third fight might be after Joshua but I’m aiming for three fights this year.

“If it’s a good fight with me and AJ, which I don’t think it will be, I think it will be a blow-away, then we will have a rematch. But if not, we will see.”

Fury also opened up about his inability to walk away from boxing, despite officially announcing his retirement for the fifth time in his career.

His father, John, has been one of the most outspoken on the situation, insisting that his son (34-2-1, 24 KOs) has no more business being in a boxing ring.

But the two-time world heavyweight champion said: “I’ve been in this game a long time and boxing is my life. It’s the only thing I know how to do.

“I’ve tried to retire so many times, five times, but it’s always dragged me back. It’s not for money or achievements but without boxing I don’t have a purpose in my life and I don’t see a future. I’m not ready for it yet, to not see a future. I’m 37, at least let me get to 40 before I’ve got no future left.

“I’ve tried everything; promoting, managing and I still do all that stuff right now but there’s no thrill of the chase. There’s nothing like being in there getting punched about by big heavyweights. It’s a turn on.

“But it’s an obsession and sometimes you get selfish because in the beginning you want things in your life, you want to be a champion, you want to earn money, get a house and cars and whatever, Then it becomes an obsession later on. You want more, more, more. It starts to affect your family, your home life, your wife, your children, everybody.

“There’s got to be an end to it but to me, there is no end. Mike Tyson just fought recently at 60 years old. When is there an end? I remember Larry Holmes saying ‘never retire, champ, never retire’. These guys are coming back and showing us there is no end. George Foreman winning world titles at 45 years old or Archie Moore doing 15-rounders well into his 40s. It’s a drug.

“For my father, he just wants the best for me. He wants me to retire and walk away but if it was that easy I would have walked away five times before but I don’t have that ability to let go. It can affect a lot of stuff including families.

“My dad saying he’s not speaking to me, I suppose he’s trying to encourage me to not fight anymore. But fighting’s all I’ve ever known and all I ever will know.”

Warning bell after warning bell clanging for me here.

The motivation is not really there any more, he just wants paydays, all this talk about Archie Moore, Foreman, etc - those are exceptions, not a good use case for what you should do.

Fury is likely to keep on fighting because he craves the buzz of the ring, not the first or last to do so, but a bit mistake nontheless.

I get it, I really do, having interviewed former fighters about retirement, it's like a death knell, nothing in life, or certainly very few things will replace the buzz, at least not directly. The sense of direction, the regime of training, the fight gameplan, all those things don't easily exist in life outside the ring.

[keithmoonhangover]

Anyone else think this is a colossal mismatch?

[JamesPhilips]

Anyone else think this is a colossal mismatch?

No. It’s still got danger. Tyson Fury has shown vulnerability especially in his recent fights. Makhmudov can still punch. Tyson should outbox him though. Depends on what shape he’s in too

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

Arslanbek Makhmudov braces for Tyson Fury: ‘After the fight you’re going to love me’

In December 2017, Tyson Fury arrived in Quebec, Canada, depleted and despairing but stubbornly pushing himself back into the public eye. A lengthy legal battle with UKAD for testing positive for nandrolone had finally been concluded, but Fury had emerged from his backdated ban with a mind awash with suicidal thoughts and a body deteriorating by the day. Away from the spotlight for so long, he took his seat at ringside for Billy Joe Saunders’ fight with David Lemieux when he received a tap on the shoulder from an eager young fan. As he rose to oblige the request for a photo, Fury came face-to-face with a mountain of a man, a giant on his day off from work at the local gas station and who he now faces in the ring this Saturday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“It's a dream come true,” Arslanbek Makhmudov tells Boxing Scene. “Unbelievable. First of all, I’m very excited. I just can’t imagine. Ten years ago, I wasn't even a pro boxer at this time [of meeting Fury]. And now, 10 years later, to be in this place, I’m very happy because this is a dream fight for me. He’s a very good boxer, very big ring IQ but, of course, we will have to adapt for these conditions to do the right job, to be better, and to beat him, inshallah.”

Makhmudov entered the consciousness of British boxing public after a 12th-round stoppage of Dave Allen in October last year. It was a win, too, that did much to bolster the Russian’s belief in his ability to remain dangerous right up to the final bell, something he knows he may need when he encounters Fury, a veteran with many years of championship-level experience.

“It gives me a lot of confidence, because I never fight before like that. Hard rounds, I never fight 12 rounds, but because I have now, it's good to have experience. Experience is always good. It's always helping you, and it's everything for me. So now I have this experience and I have experienced fighting in the UK.”

That experience of fighting in the UK was something Makhmudov says he will never forget. Facing a partisan crowd on his way into the ring in Sheffield that night, the passion of the fans had convinced him that competing once again on British soil would remain a uniquely thrilling challenge.

“It was amazing. Amazing because UK fans are special,” the 36-year-old says. “Their voices, the crowd, was crazy. Before fight, everyone, everyone, was against me. I said, ‘Listen, guys, you’re against me now but after the fight you're gonna love me!’ And this happened. I’ve seen a lot of messages from UK fans, warm messages. And now, the same thing. Exactly the same way. I know a lot of people are gonna be against me, but I say, ‘after the fight you're gonna love me, guys! You're gonna love me, inshallah.’”

The bookmakers don’t agree, with Makhmudov a sizeable underdog. Despite endless claims of retirement and back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury – just by being active again – is on the cusp of more huge paydays, and it’s the Russian who’s been handpicked to spark this latest comeback. It’s a scenario that has allowed Makhmudov to train with a degree of freedom, unburdened by the weight of expectation.

“Absolutely no problem. Underdog or people against me. For me, it's normal. That's why, if you want everything to be perfect to be remembered, it's no way to be the best. It’s no way to be a world champion. That's why we need to feel, to put us in this uncomfortable situation, to be the best, to be strong. The size, it's what I want. It's what we need to challenge,” he says.

“Absolutely no pressure because last time I showed my experience when I was fighting in the UK. It was less people but it was big. Ten thousand [in attendance]. It was full. And when I was going in the ring I heard people making noise. You know, everyone was against me but I said to myself, ‘Listen, there's ten thousand against you but with me, God. God is with me. What can they do to me? What? Nothing.’ And they did nothing to me because God was with me. I win. Same thing now. I go with my God, I go for the win, and nobody can do nothing to me. That's why I'm very comfortable for this moment. No problem.”

Makhmudov had entered into professional boxing as a prospect with plenty of promise, most notably due to his raw power (19 of his 21 wins thus far have come by way of KO). Each step up in class, however, has ended in disappointment, with defeats to Agit Kabayel and Guido Vianello hampering his momentum. Reflecting back on these experiences, Makhmudov is candid about his shortcomings but grateful for what these losses have taught him.

“This was very good for me, because I understand I have to be more professional. I have to be more serious in my career, in my preparation, in my everything. So, more details, because I can miss a lot of details. Don't take it serious but I understand now in this kind of level, more details, every details, the stuff that I study, I have to be more professional, more serious for preparation. Everything. Discipline. It's training, work on yourself, every aspect. Small details can change the game. That's why you take everything serious.”

For the duration of his career, Makhmudov has trained under the tutelage of highly respected Canadian trainer, Marc Ramsey. Encouraged to make the move by his stablemate and fellow countryman, Artur Beterbiev, the relationship between fighter and trainer has flourished over the years. In reflecting back on their time together, Makhmudov is keen to acknowledge how much Ramsey has done for him both in and out of the ring, taking a hungry young prospect who spoke no English and guiding him to become the best version of himself.

“We have a good relationship, like coach and boxer, but I think it’s a bit more because we can speak about family and life stuff. We have a good human relationship, not just like a coach and boxer, more human. For me, it's number one, to be a good human, to be good professionals. Not just with my trainer, with everyone. A long time ago, in a Muay Thai gym, I went there one time. They say, ‘You can be champion, but you have to be a good human.’ This is the real win, when you’re a good person, when you give a good example, this a real win. Of course, we try in competition, make good wins as well but, first of all, it’s personal wins.”

[stujones]

Tickets still for sale!

Has Fury shrunk or did he where heels in the original presser - is Mak standing on something on a different level to Fury - he seems much bigger now.

[KiwiRider]

Tickets still for sale!

Has Fury shrunk or did he where heels in the original presser - is Mak standing on something on a different level to Fury - he seems much bigger now.

I noticed that!
So Mak is honest about his height and Fury may have either shrunk an inch or so, which happens, and slightly more noticable in very tall people.

[gilgamesh]

I figure this guy is the perfect foil to make this everything you'd want in a Tyson Fury comeback fight. He'll be aggressive enough to make it fun. He'll be slow enough not to be especially dangerous to Fury. He'll be defensively open enough to get beat the f*ck up whenever Fury opens up on him, and he'll be tough enough to take it a while.

As long as Fury is even close to being on form. He should have a good night here. Even if he has a bad night (which is possible after a long layoff), he'll just box his way to a Unanimous decision, and lose a few rounds along the way.

[golden_labrador]

it's definitely the camera angle here making Fury look shorter, but if Makh is listed at 6'5.5" normally that makes Fury around 6'6.5 nowadays. no way was he more than 6'7ish in his prime. He was always a bit shorter than 6'8" David Price.

(yes I'm a recovering height obsessive)

[golden_labrador]

I figure this guy is the perfect foil to make this everything you'd want in a Tyson Fury comeback fight. He'll be aggressive enough to make it fun. He'll be slow enough not to be especially dangerous to Fury. He'll be defensively open enough to get beat the f*ck up whenever Fury opens up on him, and he'll be tough enough to take it a while.

As long as Fury is even close to being on form. He should have a good night here. Even if he has a bad night (which is possible after a long layoff), he'll just box his way to a Unanimous decision, and lose a few rounds along the way.

unless he's as shot as John and others are saying

[stujones]

Tickets still for sale!

Has Fury shrunk or did he where heels in the original presser - is Mak standing on something on a different level to Fury - he seems much bigger now.

I noticed that!
So Mak is honest about his height and Fury may have either shrunk an inch or so, which happens, and slightly more noticable in very tall people.

But Fury looked bigger than Mak when first announced! I know he did the tip toes thing but was still apparently a little bit taller when they did their first head to head.

He looks a good 2/3 inches shorter than Mak in that shot - or perhaps it is my eyes or the angle.

Also in that still of the video - it looks like they are holding hands. I know they are not, but it amused me.

[gilgamesh]

I figure this guy is the perfect foil to make this everything you'd want in a Tyson Fury comeback fight. He'll be aggressive enough to make it fun. He'll be slow enough not to be especially dangerous to Fury. He'll be defensively open enough to get beat the f*ck up whenever Fury opens up on him, and he'll be tough enough to take it a while.

As long as Fury is even close to being on form. He should have a good night here. Even if he has a bad night (which is possible after a long layoff), he'll just box his way to a Unanimous decision, and lose a few rounds along the way.

unless he's as shot as John and others are saying

I honestly don't think he could be shot enough for Makhmudov.

[stujones]

it's definitely the camera angle here making Fury look shorter, but if Makh is listed at 6'5.5" normally that makes Fury around 6'6.5 nowadays. no way was he more than 6'7ish in his prime. He was always a bit shorter than 6'8" David Price.

(yes I'm a recovering height obsessive)

Yes - would agree, but he looked a hell of alot bigger than Usyk, Haye, Wilder and Klitchsko. He was shorter than Price - but I think that could have easily been 6'7.5 or Price is a bit taller than 6'8. He seemed to tower over quite tall heavyweights like Wilder and Klitschsko.

[MightyWarrior]

On reputation and record Fury absolutely outclasses him, hard to say for sure, but I guess the Russian is probably one of the hardest punchers he’s faced, so could be a dangerous night if he’s not on his game.

[keithmoonhangover]

I figure this guy is the perfect foil to make this everything you'd want in a Tyson Fury comeback fight. He'll be aggressive enough to make it fun. He'll be slow enough not to be especially dangerous to Fury. He'll be defensively open enough to get beat the f*ck up whenever Fury opens up on him, and he'll be tough enough to take it a while.

As long as Fury is even close to being on form. He should have a good night here. Even if he has a bad night (which is possible after a long layoff), he'll just box his way to a Unanimous decision, and lose a few rounds along the way.

That's exactly how I see it.

[golden_labrador]

it's definitely the camera angle here making Fury look shorter, but if Makh is listed at 6'5.5" normally that makes Fury around 6'6.5 nowadays. no way was he more than 6'7ish in his prime. He was always a bit shorter than 6'8" David Price.

(yes I'm a recovering height obsessive)

Yes - would agree, but he looked a hell of alot bigger than Usyk, Haye, Wilder and Klitchsko. He was shorter than Price - but I think that could have easily been 6'7.5 or Price is a bit taller than 6'8. He seemed to tower over quite tall heavyweights like Wilder and Klitschsko.

yeah 6'7"ish tops, 6'9" in his shoes (after rounding up ). not that we ever lie about our heights, of course

[Twinkle Toes]

I know Fury has lost to a middleweight the last couple of figths, but surely he has enough left to beat Mak.

I'd be surprised if he lost this. Mak is tailor made for Fury.

[Controversial]

Fury has probably lost some height as he’s got older but I’ve never gone along with the 6’9” claim. I saw Fury refer to Makh as being 6’8” the other day lol. Most people exaggerate their height and have never been properly measured. Do you remember when Mike Tyson was being hyped up before he won the title, they claimed he was 5’11.5”

[golden_labrador]

Fury has probably lost some height as he’s got older but I’ve never gone along with the 6’9” claim. I saw Fury refer to Makh as being 6’8” the other day lol. Most people exaggerate their height and have never been properly measured. Do you remember when Mike Tyson was being hyped up before he won the title, they claimed he was 5’11.5”

high heel height

[Controversial]

They are talking about the Fury fight on ITV News now and they just said Makh is 6’9”

[Ruthless-RKO]

[paultom]

They are talking about the Fury fight on ITV News now and they just said Makh is 6’9”

Tommy at the Eddie Hall presser kept saying Tyson was 7 foot

[Controversial]

They are talking about the Fury fight on ITV News now and they just said Makh is 6’9”

Tommy at the Eddie Hall presser kept saying Tyson was 7 foot

Yeah his dad has said 7 foot in a few interviews over the years, I’m amazed no one challenges them! I know Klit said Fury wasn’t as tall as he claimed.

[golden_labrador]

Dave Allen said Makh was 6'8" during an interview before their fight. it's catching

[Taansend]

I've noticed there's a 1-0 Heavyweight on the undercard called Francis "Ricky" Gorman from Nantwich.

I'm guessing he's related to Nathan & therefore a cousin to Luke/Tyson.

Anyone know anything about him?