Former heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury has confirmed his return to professional boxing, announcing a comeback fight against Arslanbek Makhmudov scheduled to take place in the United Kingdom in April. The bout will mark Fury’s first competitive appearance in the UK since 2022.
The 37-year-old had announced his retirement last year following consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, raising doubts about whether he would return to the ring. However, Fury has now revealed that he has been training intensively in Thailand and plans to fight up to three times in 2026 as part of his comeback campaign.
Okay News reports that the April 11 contest will be broadcast on Netflix and is expected to draw major attention, given Fury’s global profile and long absence from the sport. Fury said he remains deeply connected to boxing, describing his return as a continuation of a lifelong passion rather than a short-term decision.
His opponent, Arslanbek Makhmudov, is a 36-year-old heavyweight originally from Russia but now based in Canada. Makhmudov has won 21 of his 23 professional fights, with 19 victories coming by knockout, though he has suffered stoppage losses in two previous bouts.
Makhmudov welcomed the opportunity to face Fury, describing the former champion as a major figure in the sport and expressing excitement about the challenge. He most recently defeated British boxer Dave Allen by unanimous decision in October.
Speculation had previously surrounded a potential all-British showdown between Fury and Anthony Joshua in 2026. Those plans were put on hold after Joshua was involved in a fatal car accident in Nigeria late last year, leading to uncertainty over his immediate boxing future.
With Joshua’s return timeline unclear, other domestic rivals such as WBO champion Fabio Wardley have emerged as possible future opponents for Fury, with the former champion indicating he remains open to a summer bout later in the year.
