Tyson Fury made his latest ring return count with a dominant 12-round unanimous decision over Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday night. The former heavyweight champion, now 37, showcased his speed and accuracy to outclass the lumbering Russian in a fight that lacked fireworks but delivered a clear victory.
Two judges scored it a perfect 120-108 for Fury, while the third had it 119-109. Makhmudov, known for his early stoppages with 17 of 21 wins coming inside three rounds, couldn’t handle Fury’s pedigree. The chasm in skill was evident from the second round onward.
As soon as the result was announced, Fury turned his attention to ringside spectator Anthony Joshua. He demanded a fight next, putting the ball squarely in Joshua’s court. Joshua stared back intently before picking up a microphone, but his response was lost in a technical glitch that left the arena in awkward silence.
Fury’s ring walk was preceded by a heartfelt tribute to Ricky Hatton, the Manchester fighter who died last September. With “Blue Moon” echoing through the arena, Fury’s eyes glazed with tears for his lost friend. Makhmudov, hooded and bearded, waited unmoved in the ring.
Once the bell rang, Makhmudov came out swinging with crude power, landing a couple of early shots. But Fury settled behind his jab and by the second round, he was spinning away to land crisp combinations in the corner. Makhmudov began showing fatigue in the third, taking deep breaths as Fury’s hand speed popped shots to his face and body.
A swelling formed under Makhmudov’s left eye as Fury turned to his corner mid-fight to marvel at his own work. He shook his head and waved his arm, celebrating the dexterity missing from his opponent’s game. But it remained a leaden affair—Fury controlled without overwhelming.
In the seventh, Fury found a home for his uppercut on Makhmudov’s forward-charging head. The crowd managed a stifled roar in the eighth when a sharp left and right uppercut connected. Fury cruised through rounds against a hand-picked opponent tough enough to go the distance.
The 10th saw another jolting uppercut rock Makhmudov’s head back, but no stoppage materialized. After 12 rounds, Fury raised his arm and kissed Makhmudov in honor of his grit—if not his skill.
Before the fight, Turki al-Sheikh, the Saudi boxing powerbroker, promised “a big surprise” and “the biggest fight in the history of England” in a ringside Netflix interview. With Joshua seated nearby, the revelation wasn’t exactly shocking.
Joshua later spoke into a working microphone, initially hesitant to commit. Still recovering from a December car accident in Nigeria that killed two close friends, he said, “Contracts are being sent over and you’ll probably see us in the ring next, more than likely.” When asked if he needed a warm-up fight, Joshua shot back, “Good question. That [Fury] could be a warm-up fight, based on what I saw tonight.”
On the undercard, Conor Benn defeated veteran Regis Prograis 98-92 on all three scorecards in a 10-rounder. At 29, Benn was bigger and fresher than the 37-year-old Prograis, who announced his retirement post-fight. The crowd’s muted hum suggested they weren’t overly impressed with Benn’s performance against a fading champion.
Fury is back in business, but this predictable comeback against a cumbersome opponent tells us little about his true merit. Far more dangerous tests await—starting with a potential Joshua showdown that could define his legacy.
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