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

[Frostieballs]

Is there an aspect to the ticket situation of Fury fans buying the tickets initially to see him and then being deterred from attending by the addition of odious little drug cheat Conor Benn to the card ?

It's all touts who bought them up, thinking it would sell out - and it hasn't.

[CaptainSpacerod]

As opposed to Fury, who is an odious big drug cheat?

True but he’s not an odious man, that’s the key distinction here

Well, I mean, he lied about giving his entire purse to charity, that's worse than anything Connor Benn's done.

I don’t think it is. I don’t really know all the ins and outs of that situation but couldn’t a case be made that his generosity of spirit was overruled by the accountants and he didn’t wanna lose face when asked about it by some snidey journo

[CaptainSpacerod]

Is there an aspect to the ticket situation of Fury fans buying the tickets initially to see him and then being deterred from attending by the addition of odious little drug cheat Conor Benn to the card ?

It's all touts who bought them up, thinking it would sell out - and it hasn't.

In that case I’m glad they’re getting rinsed

When it was first announced I was amazed it was scheduled for a big stadium, it has none of the factors that would make it appealing enough to shift that many tickets

[keithmoonhangover]

True but he’s not an odious man, that’s the key distinction here

Well, I mean, he lied about giving his entire purse to charity, that's worse than anything Connor Benn's done.

I don’t think it is. I don’t really know all the ins and outs of that situation but couldn’t a case be made that his generosity of spirit was overruled by the accountants and he didn’t wanna lose face when asked about it by some snidey journo

That's a very kind way of looking at it, either that or he's a lying pudendum.

[tony1234]

The O2 or Wembley Arena would have been far more suitable, not sure who worked out it would sell a stadium out

[mickey1975]

The O2 or Wembley Arena would have been far more suitable, not sure who worked out it would sell a stadium out

AJ v Klitschko was the only genuine stadium sellout I can remember for boxing. Oasis, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles do it regularly but you will still get tickets available on resell sites, just with increased prices.

[keithmoonhangover]

The O2 or Wembley Arena would have been far more suitable, not sure who worked out it would sell a stadium out

AJ v Klitschko was the only genuine stadium sellout I can remember for boxing. Oasis, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles do it regularly but you will still get tickets available on resell sites, just with increased prices.

Is that you admitting that at their respective peaks, AJ was a bigger ticket seller that Fury?

[mickey1975]

The O2 or Wembley Arena would have been far more suitable, not sure who worked out it would sell a stadium out

AJ v Klitschko was the only genuine stadium sellout I can remember for boxing. Oasis, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles do it regularly but you will still get tickets available on resell sites, just with increased prices.

Is that you admitting that at their respective peaks, AJ was a bigger ticket seller that Fury?

Tyson didn't box in the UK at his peak. Wilder two would have sold that out in my opinion.

[joshj909]

True but he’s not an odious man, that’s the key distinction here

Well, I mean, he lied about giving his entire purse to charity, that's worse than anything Connor Benn's done.

I don’t think it is. I don’t really know all the ins and outs of that situation but couldn’t a case be made that his generosity of spirit was overruled by the accountants and he didn’t wanna lose face when asked about it by some snidey journo

Accountants can't stop him from giving money away to charity if he wanted to. It would've decreased his tax bill too. It's his money at the end of the day.

[Kilburn]

Are the prelims going to be available to watch prior to 7pm? According to the Tottenham website the main card features only the top 4 bouts. To be fair they are all likely to go quite a few rounds, but would be good see some prelims earlier on.

Well I’ve managed to answer my own question anyway -

The preliminary bouts will stream live on Tudum and The Ring Magazine’s social channels on Saturday, April 11 at 3:30 p.m. BST / 7:30 a.m. PT / 10:30 a.m. ET.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Final presser

[golden_labrador]

It's Fraser not Frasier, Rich Reeno

[Taansend]

If you were Makhmudov's trainer what advice would you give him?

------------------------------------------------------------------

Mine would just be simple. Don't load up too much but stay busy, keep Tyson moving & working.

If that doesn't work, nut the pudendum.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[gilgamesh]

If you were Makhmudov's trainer what advice would you give him?

------------------------------------------------------------------

Mine would just be simple. Don't load up too much but stay busy, keep Tyson moving & working.

If that doesn't work, nut the pudendum.

I'd advise him to try to come forward as he jabs, and push Fury back toward the ropes, body him into a corner or onto the ropes, and throw punches at his body. Maintain mostly that strategy for the first 3 or 4 rounds, and then start trying to land the big shot on Fury's head from time to time while continuing to maintain a steady body attack.

He can't win at ring center. This is his only chance.

[KiwiRider]

Maybe Tyson left it a bit long before coming back to sell out a stadium?
He had a lot of casual fans, and they tend to move onto the next thing.
As for Connor Benn selling tickets, I think that was mostly Chris Eubank Jr propping those fights up.

I'm really hoping Clark can beat that blob and finish his career with a British title

[Taansend]

I'm really hoping Clark can beat that blob and finish his career with a British title

Is Huni "the blob"?

[KiwiRider]

I'm really hoping Clark can beat that blob and finish his career with a British title

Is Huni "the blob"?

Aww man!
I didn't know that.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Under new trainers, Justis Huni and Frazer Clarke look to resurrect careers

Frazer Clarke and Justis Huni will have new men in their corners when they square off in what could be a career-defining fight Saturday at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The two heavyweight are both heading into the contest with a defeat hanging over their name. Clarke lost a close split decision to Jeamie Tshikeva in November for the British title – a fight many expected Clarke to win. The former Olympic bronze medalist has now fought three times for the Lonsdale strap, each time coming up short. Now aged 34, Clarke isn’t getting any younger, and has made a change to his training team ahead of Saturday’s fight. Clarke has hired former Ring Trainer of the Year Joe Gallagher as his new coach, and claims he is reaping the rewards from Gallagher’s wisdom.

“That night [against TKV], I got beat on a split decision,” Clarke said. “The way it’s talked about, it’s like I got beat pillar to post. It was a close fight, a good fight; Jeamie [TKV] came out on top. I had to do some changing, I had to look at myself in the mirror. I did that, I relocated to Manchester to train with Joe Gallagher, and from that, second things started to change. It’s alright sitting here and talking about it – the proof is in the pudding. So Saturday night I’m going to prove everyone here wrong.”

“For Frazer Clarke, this is massive,” said Clarke’s promoter, Ben Shalom. “There’s so many fighters who have a bad night at the office and look for a way out. He’s gone back to the drawing board, teamed up with Joe Gallagher, and this opportunity came. The first person I called was Joe, I said, ‘Look, how is Frazer? Is he back in the gym?’ He said, ‘Ben, he’s more fired up than ever. He’s a quality, quality fighter, as we know. If he gets his head right, this is the perfect fight.’ This is the fight Frazer needs to be in, and Justis Huni is a quality fighter. They’re both quality fighters, they’ve both had incredible amateur careers, but what a way for Frazer to come back in a massive way. It could steal the show. I think this will be the fight of the night.”

Australia’s Huni is fighting back in the UK following defeat to Fabio Wardley in Ipswich, England, in June. Huni was cruising to victory against the now-WBO heavyweight titleholder, but he switched off momentarily in Round 10 and was made to pay for it. Huni may have been counted out that evening, but he says it was still a win in his eyes.

“My last fight over here kind of introduced me to this side of the world,” Huni, 27, said. “Now I’m ready to come back and do it again. I’m excited, I’m fit, I’m ready to go and can’t wait for Saturday night. I took nothing but positive things away from that fight [with Wardley]. Even though I lost, it was a win-win for me. Getting the opportunity to come to this side of the world and showcase what I’ve got to offer. Like I said, I’m back and ready to put on a show.”

Huni will also have a new coach in his corner – but for very different reasons. Huni, who tragically lost his longtime trainer Keri Fiu to heart attack in November, will be debuting under Josh Arnold.

“This fight is dedicated to [Fiu]. He was not only a trainer to me but more a father figure,” Huni said. “So I’ll be doing this one for him. Doing it for myself, my family and for him. It’s going to be a big moment and one to remember.”

Huni’s promoter, Mick Francis, said that although the switch came in tragic circumstances, it has been a rewarding one for the heavyweight.

“I’ve never seen Justis look so fit – he looks incredible,” Francis said. “He’s got a new coach. The coach has done an amazing job as well. I was watching him on the pads yesterday, he’s never hit so hard. People always say about Justis that he lacks a bit of power, but come Saturday that’s going to change.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jeamie TKV questions if Richard Riakphore is ready for British heavyweight title shot

Heavyweight titleholder Jeamie “TKV” Tshikeva has questioned whether Richard Riakphore has fully adapted to his new weight.

If you were to see the 6ft 5ins Riakphore in person, you would struggle to believe it possible for a man of his size to make the 200lb cruiserweight limit. Riakphore, a former British titleholder and world title challenger at cruiserweight, is as wide as he is tall, and weighed in for his previous heavyweight dustup at 236lbs.

“Honestly, it feels like a cheat code being up at heavyweight,” said the 36-year-old Riakphore. “The things I used to go through on fight week as a cruiserweight just wishing that the weigh-in would come closer. Now, this is different. Heavyweights will never understand what it’s like to make weight. It’s torture. I feel much happier now.

“We’ve got some legends over there – Lennox Lewis and David Haye – they both won this [British] title. Now I think about legacy. Obviously the money is great, but legacy is important – when people talk about you in a good way when you’re not in the room.”

After two contests in his new weight class, Riakphore, in his biggest test as a heavyweight, will take on Tshikeva on Saturday at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The 32-year-old Tshikeva grew up just a 10-minute walk from where the pair will do battle, and he is riding high from defeating Olympic bronze medalist Frazer Clarke in November.

“I always knew my level. Beating Clarke was more of a ‘I told you so’ because I knew I could beat Clarke,” Tshikeva said. “It wasn’t a surprise to me. I know where I can go is bigger than this. It’s not going to be the easiest night for Richard, just because I know how I’ve prepared.”

Tshikeva, a career heavyweight, questioned whether Riakphore has fully adjusted to carrying the extra muscle that fighting in the blue-ribbon division requires.

“Yes, he’s fighting for the British heavyweight title, so I guess it is his first real heavyweight fight,” Tshikeva said. “In a way, Richard’s got to get used to being a heavyweight. It’s only been about a year he’s been getting used to sitting at that weight. We’re going to do 12 rounds and we’re going to have to see how it goes.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Makhmudov on wrestling bears, waging wars, '2-3 years in Dagestan'

Arslanbek Makhmudov has always loved a challenge, so when an old friend called with a unique opportunity, he accepted without hesitation.

“He called me and said, ‘Arslanbek, I have an offer for you,’” Makhmudov tells The Ring. “Do you want to fight a bear?
What can I say? It sounded like an interesting challenge, and I like to be challenged. I’ve done some crazy stuff in the past, so I just said, ‘OK, let’s do it.'”

The video of the scrap between the WBA’s fifth-ranked heavyweight Makhmudov (21-2, 19 KOs) and the bear, not currently ranked, swiftly went viral.

The 6-foot-6 Dagestani, encouraged by his friends in the middle of a forest clearing, can be seen maneuvering the bear with superior footwork and grappling experience. Even though the beast was three meters tall and weighed more than 800 pounds, Makhmudov appeared to do enough to win the round.

“The thing is, I thought it was going to be funny,” Makhmudov says. “But it really wasn’t funny. I don’t want to do any more of this. It’s just too much risk. In one second he could turn me into meat, and that’s it. All over.
"I’ve done a couple of crazy things in my life, but that might be the craziest.

On Saturday night at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the 36-year-old is back to fighting humans as he takes on the returning Tyson Fury in The Ring’s main event live on Netflix.

Victory would propel him back toward the world title picture after two damaging stoppage defeats during a nine-month spell across 2023 and 2024 left his career in tatters. After the second of those, which came against underdog Guido Vianello in Quebec City in August 2024, Makhmudov did the only thing he knows and simply kept fighting.

UFC champion Islam Makhachev famously told Daniel Cormier to send his son "2-3 years Dagestan and forget" if he wanted the youngster to improve his wrestling skills. The line has since become a meme for toughening someone up.
As a proud Dagestani, Makhmudov smiles when he is reminded of the phrase. He knows exactly what 2-3 years in Dagestan could do to anybody.

“Where I come from, people have to be strong always,” he explains. "For us it’s very important, genetically. If we don’t feel we are strong, we feel we are weak person, a weak man.
For us it’s very important to be strong. Growing up there was always a pressure to fight. Maybe it has changed now, but when I was a small boy, if you’re not strong, you’re a loser.

 “You have to always fight. In the street, you fight. You go to play soccer, you fight. You go to the river for some swimming, you fight. You go somewhere, you go everywhere, you have to fight. We have a cultural competition for violence. In our history we always made wars against anybody who comes to try and beat us. Maybe it stems from that, I don’t know.”

But Makhmudov has worked hard to create a far less violent atmosphere for his three children to grow up in. It is now nearly a decade since Makhmudov moved to Montreal, where he and his wife have raised the kids, aged 11, 10 and 4. None of them, however, have made the trip to London to watch him fight Fury in a clash that could change all their lives forever.
While Fury’s eldest son, Prince, has trained alongside his dad throughout his 16-week training camp in Thailand, for Makhmudov, there is a conscious effort to separate his children from the boxing completely.

“I have started trying to keep my kids away from this sport,” he says. “This sport is not for kids. It is dangerous.
Of course I teach my son boxing, but I’d rather he didn’t choose to do it. I would prefer him to do some martial arts, maybe wrestling or judo. Something where you get less damage to yourself.”

His wife will watch the fight through her fingers from their home, but his parents still cannot bear to see their boy in action. “They will just sit and wait for the result,” he says. “Somebody will tell them that it’s all OK, and I’m good. Then they’re happy. Even if I win, they won’t watch the replay.”

The heavyweight pair, likely to weigh a combined 550 pounds on the night, have engaged in a slightly strange and light-hearted build-up all week in London. Fury tickled and blew kisses at his opponent while Makhmudov responded by giving the Gypsy King a bear hug that lifted him off his feet at Thursday’s final press conference in London's Canary Wharf.

They are both experienced enough to know that none of it will matter when they eventually collide in the center of the pitch at Spurs.

“We don’t have to become enemies,” Makhmudov says quietly. “We don’t have to be crazy all the time. We can be friends now, we can be nice to each other now, but on the day of the fight, we both go to war.

 “Two big guys go to war and try to kill each other. It’s normal for boxing. I know when it’s time.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jeamie 'TKV' Tshikeva vs Richard Riakporhe official weigh-in results:

Jeamie 'TKV' Tshikeva - 262.7 lbs
Richard Riakporhe - 234 lbs

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Taansend]

I'm really hoping Clark can beat that blob and finish his career with a British title

Is Huni "the blob"?

Aww man!
I didn't know that.

Who is "The Blob"?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Live ceremonial weigh in