Fury Wins Comeback Fight, Makes Call-Out

Tyson Fury (35-2-1, 24 KOs) may have won a unanimous decision against Arslanbek Makhmudov (21-3-0, 19 KOs), but his comeback fight from his January 2025 retirement failed to produce the highlight knockout he was looking for.

The scorecards showed Fury coasted to a win, 120-108, 120-108, and 119-109, but it was not vintage Fury. This marked Fury’s first appearance since December 2024, where he suffered his second loss to Oleksandr Usyk. The 16-month layoff left him vulnerable to Makhmudov’s power, as the Russian clipped Fury with a heavy right hand in the first round that forced the Brit to switch to southpaw.

By the third round, however, Fury adjusted. He began flicking his jab from both stances, keeping the Russian off-balance. As the fight progressed, Fury utilized his frame to smother Makhmudov in the clinches, sapping his energy. By the eighth, Fury nearly ended the fight, landing a left hook that left Makhmudov on shaky legs.

Fury’s corner urged him to stop Makhmudov. Despite this, the Russian showed immense durability. He absorbed the punishment until the final bell. Fury outlanded Makhmudov 106 to 44, but he could not get the stoppage. In his post-fight comments, Fury called out Joshua as the pair traded verbals ringside.