All class from the “Gypsy King.”
Former WBC Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury returns to action in two months (Sat., April 11, 2026) when he faces WBA Inter-Continental titleholder Arslanbek Makhmudov inside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, streaming on Netflix.
The bout is widely viewed as a tune-up for Fury — who has once again reversed retirement for the 500th time — with all roads seemingly leading to a long-awaited mega-fight against fellow U.K. superstar Anthony Joshua later this year
or in early 2027.
Of course, that timeline largely depends on Joshua, as the former unified champion was recently involved in a tragic car crash that claimed the lives of two of his close friends.
Prior to his knockout win over Jake Paul (watch highlights), Joshua had fired off harsh words at his longtime rival.
“Tyson is not a real fighter in my eyes. Unless you want to fight, shut the f—k up. I wish Usyk caught him with one more shot,” Joshua previously said.
When Fury was asked about those comments during a recent interview with The Ring, it felt like a classic setup for one of his trademark verbal assaults.
Instead, he surprised everyone and took the high road.
“I’m not going to say too much about Anthony Joshua because at this time in his life, he’s got a lot going on with the tragedies and the deceased friends that he’s had,” Fury said. “So that’s why I won’t go into it with him. If it was other people, I could go in on them. But I’m not going in on AJ at these times.”
Fury then doubled down on his stance.
“Rule number one for me is I never kick a man when he’s at his lowest point ever — I leave him alone,” he added. “I want to build him up and kick them down when they’re at their highest. People ask me, ‘What do you think about the stuff Deontay Wilder keeps saying?’ I pray for Wilder. I’ve got no hard feelings against him — he’s got problems mentally and physically.”
“I’m not interested in going toe-to-toe with somebody who’s in a bad place at the moment. I’ve been in a bad place many times, and it’s not a good place to be. I wish them boys all the best.”
For a fighter who has built much of his brand on outlandish trash talk, it was a rare — and notably mature — moment from Fury.
That said, he still has business to handle against Makhmudov in April before any dream showdown with Joshua can finally become reality.
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