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Fury hasn’t been in a ring since December 2024, when he lost the rematch to Oleksandr Usyk. At 37, a layoff that long is a physical gamble for him to be coming back.

By talking about Joshua, he’s trying to convince the world and maybe himself that the Usyk losses were a fluke and his King status is still intact.

Fury has been dropped 8 times in his career. His legs looked heavy in the second Usyk fight, and his reliance on the clinch, his favorite survival tactic, might not work against a man with Makhmudov’s raw physical strength.

“It’s been a massive rivalry for over 10 years. The British public is still baying for it. They still want it desperately,” Fury said to the InsideRingShow.

“Even if we had a 200,000-seat stadium, we’d sell out 10 times. That’s how big it is over here. I do think I could beat him at any time, whether he was 25, 35, or 95.”

Fury is no longer selling his fight against Joshua as a peak athletic competition, but as a historical rivalry that exists outside of time.

Tyson’s claim that age isn’t important is a clever way to bypass the fact that both he and Joshua are in the twilight of their careers. By saying he’d win at any age, he is arguing that his boxing IQ and natural size are permanent advantages that Joshua’s athleticism can’t overcome.

“If everything goes well in this fight on Saturday night, then that’s the fight we’re looking to make next,” Fury said.

Fury, using the word “if” regarding Saturday night, is the most honest he has been in years. Arslanbek Makhmudov is a dangerous choice for a comeback for a few reasons: Makhmudov is a massive, heavy-handed puncher with 19 KOs. Fury’s chin has been tested repeatedly, and at 37, recovery time in the ring slows down.

Fury hasn’t fought since December 2024. Coming back against a wrecking ball-style fighter like Makhmudov after a long break is a massive gamble.

If Tyson loses, the Joshua fight, the 200,000-seat sellout he’s dreaming of effectively goes away. It would turn their fight into a battle of the former kings.

“There’s always going to be, even if we’re 60-years-old, I think it’s still a massive fight in the UK,” Fury said.

To find a modern parallel, you would have to imagine a fighter today competing every three weeks for ten years without ever slipping up.

“[He] may be the greatest fighter of all time, Sugar Ray Robinson. 174 wins, 19 losses, most of ‘em when he was old, six draws, 108 knockouts. That is a lot of knockouts. That is a lot of fights,” said analyst Atlas on his channel.

By the time Robinson headed to London to face Randy Turpin in July 1951, he had already completed a career’s worth of greatness, with a record of 128 wins, 1 loss, 2 draws.

That stretch included a 40-0 start and a 91-fight unbeaten run that spanned nearly a decade. It wasn’t compiled against soft opposition or during a protected rise. Robinson fought constantly, often multiple times a month, and still kept winning.

His lone loss, a decision to Jake LaMotta in 1943, which Robinson corrected by beating “The Bronx Bull” five times over their legendary rivalry.

In 1950 alone, Robinson fought 19 times. For context, many modern champions fight 19 times in an entire career.

“He had a 91-fight unbeaten streak – that is pretty good. Those losses, like I said, most of ‘em came when he was old, way beyond his prime,” said Atlas

Atlas is right to point out that Robinson’s 19 losses are deceptive. When Robinson finally retired in 1965 at age 44, he was a shell of the man who ruled the 1940s. More than half of his career defeats came in the final five years of his 25-year stint in the ring.

If Robinson had retired after the “Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre” win over LaMotta in 1951, his winning percentage would sit at approximately 98 percent. Instead, he stayed long enough to become a five-time middleweight champion, a feat that added to his legend but padded his loss column.

The Joey Maxim fight is often cited as the great “almost” of Robinson’s career. Leading on all scorecards before the 104-degree heat forced him to quit on his stool, Robinson nearly bridged a massive weight gap to claim a third divisional title.

However, his greatness at welterweight requires no such justification. At 147 pounds, Robinson was the perfect blend of technical brilliance and concussive power. When you look at that 74–1–1 run in that weight class, you aren’t just looking at a great record; you are looking at the most perfect version of a fighter to ever lace up gloves.

Robinson wasn’t padding that record against journeymen. During that run, he beat Hall of Famers and top-tier contenders like Jake LaMotta, Tommy Bell, Kid Gavilan, and Fritzie Zivic.

Sugar Ray was cleaning out an era of boxing that was significantly more populated and competitive than the modern landscape.

What makes 74–1–1 truly incredible is the frequency. In the 1940s, Robinson would often fight twice in a single month. Maintaining that winning percentage while your body is under constant 15-round stress is something modern sports science can barely explain. He didn’t have training camps in the way we think of them today; he was simply in a perpetual state of combat.

While his middleweight years gave us the legendary battles and the five titles, the 147-pound Robinson was the closest thing to a flawless fighting machine the world has ever seen.

It’s the gold standard. Every welterweight since Leonard and Hearns to Mayweather and Crawford is inevitably measured against that specific 74–1–1 ghost.

“By the time the fight comes around on Saturday, I’ll have been out of the ring for 16 months,” Fury said to the Inside Ring Show. “And at 37-years-old, 16 months is a long time. So I have a little bit of stuff to do and think about in my own mind and see how I am.”

To expect vintage form from a 37-year-old Tyson Fury after 16 months of living the high life is a reach, even for his most loyal supporters. History and biology are both betting against him.

We know Fury doesn’t stay in fighting shape during layoffs. Pushing a 37-year-old body to shed 50+ lbs of living well weight causes massive internal stress. The skin might look tight by Saturday, but the engine underneath is often drained.

The vintage Fury of 2015 lived on split-second twitch fibers. Those are the first things to go with age and inactivity. If he couldn’t find his timing against a moving target like Usyk, a 16-month-older version will struggle even more.

Since the third Wilder fight, Fury’s style has shifted from a slick mover to a heavy mauler. While he’s won until recently, he’s been dropped and hurt more frequently by fighters like Ngannou and Usyk.

“After watching Deontay and Chisora in the other night fight, it was hard to watch for me,” Fury said. “It was heartbreaking, and I’d never seen two men slide as much as them two in my life. And I’m thinking, am I next? Is this me?”

Against a fighter like Arslanbek Makhmudov, who has been exposed by the likes of Agit Kabayel and Guido Vianello, Fury can probably lean his way to a win. But winning doesn’t mean looking good.

“So I said to the boys, ‘If I’m even 10% as bad as those guys in my fight, take me out to the field and shoot me.’”

Even a diminished Wilder, relying on clubbing shots and a compromised right shoulder, managed to drop Derek Chisora through the ropes and gut out a 12-round win. There was still a physical threat there, however ugly.

In his last outing against Oleksandr Usyk in late 2024, Fury looked physically spent. The flabby, slapping style was a far cry from the heavyweight who once dominated in every fight. He was wobbled, his timing was shot, and he seemed to be fighting in slow motion during the championship rounds. He showed that he was already in decline.

Tyson is treating Arslanbek Makhmudov as a test to see if he’s still got it, but this is calculated matchmaking. Makhmudov is a slow, lumbering power-puncher, the exact kind of statue Fury can still out-maneuver even at 60% capacity.

Winning on Saturday won’t prove he isn’t part of the Old Guard. The fact that he’s even comparing himself to Wilder and Chisora, men he used to look down on as several levels below him, shows the reality has already set in. He’s worried that his own body has already filed for divorce.

Fury has already stated that if he loses, it’s “curtains” and immediate retirement. But laboring is a grey area. If he wins a messy, clinching decision where he looks every bit of 37, he will likely blame the 16-month layoff rather than admitting his peak is a decade in the rearview mirror.

He knows the “Battle of Britain” against Anthony Joshua is the only massive payday left. Admitting he’s washed before cashing that check isn’t in the Fury playbook. He’ll likely present a poor performance as ‘knocking off the rust rather than a permanent residence in the old guard.

 

 

The Filipino veteran says the current uncertainty around their proposed rematch reminds him of the long stretch between 2010 and 2015, when multiple attempts to finalize a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. repeatedly broke down after appearing close to completion.

Pacquiao said that period left a lasting impression, shaping how he views the latest round of negotiations.

“Before the previous fight, we were dealing with him for like eight years. There were so many promises, and I think of all the times I signed a contract thinking that was the one,” Manny Pacquiao said. “That was at least five years, with a lot of alibis.”

Even after agreements have reportedly been signed for a September rematch, Pacquiao is not treating the fight as secure. Mayweather’s recent public comments describing the bout as an exhibition and questioning the venue have introduced fresh uncertainty.

By calling it an exhibition, Floyd protects his 50-0 legacy. If it’s just for fun, a loss doesn’t officially tarnish his perfect record. Pacquiao is 47 and trying to stay fight-ready, which is much harder to maintain during a moving target date than it is for a younger fighter.

Mayweather has always been the one who dictates terms. Changing the venue or the rules at the eleventh hour is his way of reminding everyone who the A-side is.

Floyd is 49, and Manny is 47. Every month they delay, the casual fan interest drops. However, Mayweather may believe that the will they/won’t they drama actually builds more hype for the eventual Netflix stream than a smooth, professional rollout would.

“Him still changing his mind. You need to honor your commitment. This time, there’s no reason for alibis or excuses,” Pacquiao said.

Pacquiao’s frustration feels completely authentic, and honestly, it’s hard to blame him for being blunt. When he says there is “no reason for alibis or excuses,” he is essentially calling Floyd’s bluff in front of the whole world.

Manny is focusing on his reputation as the people’s champ who fights anyone, anywhere. By publicly calling out the “alibis,” he’s trying to box Floyd into a corner. He knows that if this falls through now, the public narrative will shift entirely onto Mayweather being the one who ducked a legitimate professional rematch in favor of a low-risk exhibition.

For years, the excuse narrative actually followed Pacquiao. Remember the shoulder injury talk after the 2015 fight?. By using that specific word, “alibis,” he is effectively flipping the script. He’s positioning himself as the veteran who has grown past the drama, while implying Floyd is still stuck in the same manipulative patterns he used a decade ago.

It feels like Manny is finished with the dance partner routine. He’s putting the ball in Floyd’s court: either show up for a real fight at The Sphere or admit to the world that the “TBE” (The Best Ever) moniker has a few conditions attached to it.

Naoya Inoue could emerge as the pound-for-pound number one after his clash with Junto Nakatani next month, although before a move up to featherweight, there is another fight on the mind of ‘The Monster’.

Inoue has been a dominant force across both bantamweight and super-bantamweight, becoming an undisputed champion in both divisions and maintaining his undefeated record, but fans continue to push for the Japanese phenomenon to move up to featherweight.

First, a ‘motivated’ Inoue takes on his toughest test to date, tasked with fellow domestic superstar Nakatani, in what is undoubtedly the biggest fight in the history of Japanese boxing, with the move to 126lbs expected to follow soon after.

However, on a TikTok live, Inoue revealed that he plans to have two more fights at super-bantamweight, including Nakatani, before seeking honours in a fifth weight division, as per Yahoo Japan.

“I think featherweight will be my final challenge. After the Nakatani fight, and one other fight I’ve wanted to do, my last challenge will be in featherweight.

“I’m not going to move up right away, so I’d like to decide [a fight] with the [featherweight] champion at that time.”

Fans are now beginning to speculate that Inoue could be lining up a scrap with unified super-flyweight champion and pound-for-pound rival, Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, who is being touted for a bantamweight world title challenge against either Antonio Vargas or Christian Medina Jimenez.

Should Rodriguez get his hands on a bantamweight crown, a door may open for a shot at the undisputed super-bantamweight throne, before Inoue advances up to featherweight and moves out of the Texan’s reach.

Derek Chisora and Deontay Wilder left it all in the ring this past weekend in London. Tyson Fury, who has faced both men three times, was watching closely.

Wilder scored two knockdowns on his way to a split decision win on the cards. During the fight, his will and chin were tested by a typically tough Chisora.

With a big name victory back on his record, Wilder, at 40, has now said he will push to become a two-time heavyweight champion. His first reign was ended by Fury back in 2020 and, in the time since, there has been no love lost between the pair.

Fury – who had predicted a Chisora knockout win – was left unimpressed, even ‘heartbroken’ by the action. Speaking on Inside the Ring, ‘The Gypsy King’ said both men were shells of their former selves, and admitted it made him worry his own comeback this weekend could look similar.

“By the time the fight comes around on Saturday, I’ll have been out the ring 16 months. At 37 years old, 16 months is a long time. I have a little bit of stuff to think about in my own mind and see how I am.

“After watching Deontay and Chisora the other night, it was hard to watch for me. It was sad. Heartbreaking. I’d never seen two men slide as much in my life as them two. I’m thinking, am I f***ing next? Is this me? I said to the boys, if I’m even 10% as bad as those guys in my fight, take me out to the field and shoot me. Put me out to pasture.”

Fury faces Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this coming weekend, hoping to win and impress before setting up a long-awaited clash with Anthony Joshua. Wilder has now also put himself forward to fight ‘AJ.’

Following his December retirement, Terence Crawford continues to keep a keen eye on the boxing landscape, and the five-division world champion has named the three fights which he would most like to see during the remainder of 2026.

Crawford hung up the gloves following a legendary win over Canelo Alvarez, where he became a three-division undisputed world champion by adding all four 168lb titles to his collection. Since his retirement, those belts have become fragmented and a comeback appears to be of no interest.

Although, whilst super-middleweight contenders jostle for his old belts, fighters across other divisions are now battling one another in the pound-for-pound rankings following Crawford’s retirement – with ‘Bud’ deemed by many to have been the pound-for-pound number one.

Speaking with Dani Pirello, Crawford highlighted the three potential bouts which he wishes to see, all of which could have an impact on those pound-for-pound ratings.

“It is tough to say because there are so many big fights to be made. I would love to see Keyshawn Davis versus Devin Haney. I would love to see ‘Bam’ [Jesse Rodriguez] versus [Naoya] Inoue and I would love to see Shakur [Stevenson] versus [Gervonta] ‘Tank’ Davis.”

Whilst Davis had been in hot pursuit of WBO welterweight champion Devin Haney, the latter appears to have his mind set on unifications with his fellow titleholders at 147lbs.

As a result, it looks as if Davis has moved on from those plans, with a grudge match rematch against Nahir Albright instead being pencilled in for Saturday, May 16, in Norfolk.

Gervonta Davis is yet to return from legal trouble, and it is unclear when he will next step through the ropes, with a rumoured summer return against Isaac Cruz not yet materialising. Shakur Stevenson will keep busy regardless, now in possession of the WBO belt at 140lbs.

Naoya Inoue has a historic showdown against Junto Nakatani coming up next month. Whether or Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez decides to move up for the challenge in the aftermath remains to be seen.

Chris Eubank Jr is still yet to win a major recognised world title, but he may soon secure a second shot at doing so.

Back in 2018, Eubank Jr came up short against George Groves in the solitary title challenge of his career, but he remains as one of British boxing’s household names, his two fights against Conor Benn last year further increasing his celebrity.

There were rumours that Eubank Jr would retire after defeat to Benn in their November rematch, but the Brighton-based operator has instead vowed to continue in the sport, with a catchweight clash against Australia’s Michael Zerafa one of the possible next options.

Yet, speaking with Seconds Out, WBO Interim middleweight champion Denzel Bentley named Eubank as one of three domestic rivals on his hit list, after his stoppage win against Endry Saavedra on Saturday night.

“I would like to fight Liam Smith and defend it against him. Hopefully I can get them big fights now.

“I know that Chris Eubank Jnr is moving up but he is fighting at 164lbs. So, maybe he is testing the waters and might come back down.

“Those two are the biggest names above me in the division right now, so I would love to fight either of those two – and Brad Pauls just put on a great performance the other day.

“He should have a world title shot next, if he goes and wins that then maybe we can get something going as well.”

Bentley could find himself upgraded to full world champion in the near future, with reigning WBO champion Janibek Alimkhanuly currently serving a suspension due to a failed drugs test, but also believed to be considering a move to super-middleweight upon his return.

As a result, Bentley went on to admit that he hopes a potential shot at the full WBO middleweight world title could tempt Eubank into a return to the middleweight division.

“He [Eubank] is someone who has always wanted to be a world champion, so maybe this [belt] could be the ticket to get that fight.

“No disrespect by the way, I am a big fan of Eubank, I think that he is an amazing fighter, he has had a great career, but those are the fights that I want. I think that those are history-making fights for myself.”

Details surrounding Eubank’s return are set to be announced soon, with Bentley hoping to be the man in the opposite corner.

In what he has promised would be his farewell fight, Derek Chisora was trumped via split-decision on home turf by Deontay Wilder. Eddie Hearn, who promoted Chisora for some of the second half of his career, has revealed how he scored the bout.

In a drama-filled clash, it was 42-year-old Chisora who twice dropped to the canvas, with those two knockdowns ultimately costing ‘Del Boy’ the fight – although he could have been disqualified earlier on when his cornerman entered the ring.

Still, the bout seems to be a fitting end to the near two-decade long career of Britain’s cult hero heavyweight, but his retirement is yet to be formally confirmed, possibly due to the belief that he could have got the decision on Saturday night.

Speaking to Boxing King Media, Hearn admitted that he felt as though ‘The Bronze Bomber’ did enough to win the contest by two or three rounds.

“[It was] entertaining. I thought Wilder won by two or three rounds but it was a good fight, a competitive fight.”

In an interview with The Stomping Ground, Hearn expanded further on his verdict, disagreeing with the view of judge Phil Edwards, who scored the bout 115-112 in Chisora’s favour.

“It was tough for Del, I thought the right man won. Close fight, Del was amazing and I thought Wilder boxed well to be fair. He was under a lot of pressure, took some good shots and I thought he started to get his confidence a little bit, because his confidence has been lacking.

“I didn’t think that Del Boy won it by three rounds, what was it 115-112? I thought that he closed well and won the last round.”

A long-awaited showdown between Wilder and Anthony Joshua is in-demand once again, with ‘AJ’ left pondering whether he should pursue a dust-up with ‘The Bronze Bomber’, Tyson Fury, or both.