In boxing, after 15 months of absence, Tyson Fury has lost none of his splendor. Former world heavyweight champion, the Briton made his return to the ring on Saturday against the Russian Arslanbek Makhmudov.
The 37-year-old “Gypsy King” won by unanimous decision of the judges after twelve controlled rounds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, in north London, where the public was largely won over to his cause. The Englishman signs his 35th victory (against 2 defeats and a draw) and inflicts his 36-year-old Russian opponent with his third defeat (against 21 victories).
Gloves hung up in December 2024
Fury hung up his gloves in December 2024 after suffering a second defeat against Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk, only the second of his career. Accustomed to about-faces, he announced in January that he wanted to return to competition once again, shortly after the car accident in which his English rival Anthony “AJ” Joshua lost two friends, and a few months after the suicide of his friend Ricky Hatton.
The Briton entered the Tottenham arena to the music of Blue Moonthe Manchester City supporters’ anthem, of which Hatton was a member, and with the inscription “RIP Ricky” on the back of his shorts. Makhmudov attacked him from the first seconds of the fight, without managing to destabilize him or maintain his early advantage. The “Lion” sometimes revealed himself too much against a much more precise and efficient Fury, who appeared on his feet before the eyes of AJ and an audience of stars.
Fury challenges Joshua for ‘Battle of Britain’
As soon as the fight was over, the winner of the evening took the microphone to speak directly to his great English rival. “Now I want to give you the fight you’ve all been waiting for. I want you, AJ, Anthony Joshua. Let’s give boxing fans what they want: the Battle of Britain. I challenge you, Anthony Joshua, to face me, the Gypsy King, in my next fight,” he said.
Our articles on Boxing
Joshua, for his part, showed himself willing to offer him this challenge, without however stating it definitively. “You’re not going to tell me what to do, I’ve been chasing you for ten years. I’m the boss, you work for me,” he replied to Fury.
The two fighters came close to facing each other on several occasions, but contract disputes, fitness issues and defeats elsewhere scuttled previous attempts to have them face off. Their camps were reportedly close to reaching a deal before Joshua decided to take a career break following the tragic car accident he was involved in in January in Nigeria.
Leave a Reply