Tyson Fury made his return to the ring to secure a unanimous points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday, 11 April. Fury also used the opportunity to call out Anthony Joshua for their long-awaited fight.

The former world heavyweight champion ended his latest retirement and 15-month absence by dominating the Russian fighter at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the judges scoring it 120-108, 120-108 and 119-109. The 37-year-old Fury, who returned to the ring, was far from the Fury who defeated long-reigning champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2015, however he maintained stamina and technical control for 12 rounds and dominated most of them.

Before the scores for his latest fight were even announced, Fury turned his attention to his next fight and invited Joshua into the ring. Joshua was among the 60,000 guests who filled up the stadium and he refused several of Fury’s invites, or some might say taunts, into the ring. Fury told Joshua ringside: “I challenge you, Anthony Joshua, to fight me next. Do you accept?”

Joshua eventually replied: “I punched you up when we were kids and I’ll punch you up again.

“You aren’t going to tell me what to do, I’ve been chasing you for 10 years.

“I’m the boss, you work for me. I’m the landlord. You work for me.”

Fury responded: “You [Anthony Joshua] are next. You are getting knocked out. Believe it.”

The two rivals, both two-time world champions who at times display a banterous friendship, first agreed to and scheduled their fight in Saudi Arabia in 2021. However, despite the fact contracts were signed, the fight collapsed in July 2021 after an arbitration ruling forced Fury to honour a third fight with Deontay Wilder. At this point, many fans have lost their zeal for a Joshua versus Fury fight, with many arguing that both men should have made this fight happen in their primes.

For Fury, this fight marked his first win after a bout of successive defeats to unified champion Oleksandr Usyk in 2024. Fury’s short-lived retirement plans now seem to rest entirely on Joshua’s shoulders.

Joshua, 36, who most recently beat YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in December, made it clear that he remained willing to fight Fury. He stated:

“I have been at this table with him many times. In my heart, I’d fight Fury tomorrow, especially after watching that. There is not a problem fighting him…

I am not here to get clout. I am here to fight. The contract will be sent over, we will go through the nitty gritty, and you will probably see us in the ring next, more than likely.”

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On Saturday Fury took care of business and secured a comfortable victory against Makhmudov, 36, cementing his third defeat in 24 fights. But the future of boxing looks murky for both Joshua and Fury, who have collectively platformed British boxing globally more than any other boxers in recent history. Whether British boxing could finally witness the showdown it has been anticipating for a generation and taunted with for years, or whether this will be another jab of words for the two athletes remains unknown.

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