The heavyweight division is taking over Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with Tyson Fury set to headline against Arslanbek Makhmudov.
Tyson Fury, once again, is out of retirement and back in the ring. He’s preparing to take on Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in his quest for another shot at the world title.
He’s not taken an easy route. Makhmudov is a dangerous proposition for any heavyweight at any time, with the heavy-handed fighter collecting 19 knockouts in his 21-win professional boxing career. A 20th will all but send Fury into retirement for a third and final time.
Tyson Fury
Nobody ever takes Tyson Fury’s claims of retiring seriously. This time, he has gone 15 months between fights – his last a second loss to Oleksandr Usyk.
In typical Fury fashion, his return isn’t without controversy. He’s confirmed to have spent much of his training camp alone, without a head trainer.
Nonetheless, his history and pedigree are a significant advantage and the reason behind his $1.20 favouritism to win this fight. He’s a two-time heavyweight champion of the world. While not always successful, he’s been in the ring against some of the biggest names in boxing; Wladimir Klitschko, Derek Chisora, and Dillian Whyte are all superior to anybody Makhmudov has stepped into the ring with.
Fury’s speed, movement, versatility and adaptability don’t make sense for somebody his size. He does things in the boxing ring like no other 6-foot-9 fighter should.
Gypsy King combos are on another level 😤 pic.twitter.com/uXOD9pQm2E
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) April 3, 2026
Despite the personality and reputation outside the ring profiling as anything other than serious about boxing, Fury flicks a switch inside the ropes. Makhmudov himself referred to Fury as “the professor of mind and boxing” throughout the buildup.
The professor of mind is especially impressive under duress. He’s displayed incredible resilience and recovery powers throughout his career. If the likes of a prime Wilder can’t finish him, it’s unlikely anybody can.
Arslanbek Makhmudov
He’s a big unit with power behind his punch, but Arslanbek Makhmudov lacks the names on his list to suggest he can cause an upset as a $4.50 outsider here. Where Fury has fought some of the biggest names in boxing, Makhmudov’s biggest wins have come over Dave Allen and Carlos Takam while he’s suffered defeats to Guido Vianello and Agit Kabayel
Although he does have one unique opponent nobody else can claim…
Tyson Fury’s opponent Arslanbek Makhmudov wrestled a bear in training camp today 😳
“Yes, it's crazy. Madness is justified when you pursue good goals. The goal was to overcome the threshold of fear and learn to control yourself in critical situations.” pic.twitter.com/avSvRCA6Fo
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) February 21, 2026
Looking like a world-beater in the ring at times, Makhmudov has struggled against genuine contenders, with his lack of star quality and pedigree a factor in this one.
He is in promising form, though. Rebounding from a rough patch in which he lost twice, Makhmudov has beaten Ricardo Brown and Allen in preparation for Fury.
His knockout power can’t be questioned. His raw physical strength will trouble Fury, and he fights with the intense pressure that can put an older and inactive fighter like Fury on the backfoot.
We’re going to know a lot about Makhmudov early on in the fight. He’s big and often dangerous throughout the opening rounds, punching in bunches and starting aggressively. His $15 to win by points or decision sums up the chances of him getting through to the end on top.
Fury v Makhmudov Boxing Tips
Tyson Fury has already announced the result for those who want to back the $12 price:
“Probably a big right hand KO. Nice and easy… Round six.”
However, we know better than to trust a fighter with anything they say. Fury, in particular.
Makhmudov doesn’t have the list of fighters in his history, but he has been the much more active fighter of the two, getting into the ring twice in 2025 and 2024 after three fights in 2023. In contrast, even with the inactivity and only one-year age gap, Fury is into his 38th fight with 254 rounds under his belt. Makhmudov enters for only the 24th time and 69 rounds of experience. The lack of ring rust and genuine body freshness should be a factor.
The big Russian’s 90% knockout rate demands attention, too.
But Fury is a big favourite for a reason. He’s not only the quicker and smarter of the two, but is well-positioned to make the most of Makmudov’s glaring weaknesses – slow footwork and poor defensive habits.
Circling the sixth round is a little bit too specific. Instead, we’re backing Fury to finish the job in the second half of the fight at $2.50.