Tyson Fury Vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov Breakdown

Originally posted on BoxingNews.com | Last updated Apr 6, 2026 6:43 AM ET

Tyson Fury ends his retirement to face Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11, as we preview this upcoming fight.

After announcing his retirement in January 2025 after consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, Fury has undergone a rigorous transformation. Fury spent ten weeks training in the coastal suburbs of Pattaya, Thailand. This will be Fury’s first fight in the UK in nearly four years, returning to the same stadium where he successfully defended his WBC title against Derek Chisora in December 2022. Makhmudov enters the ring as a dangerous “rebound” opponent. Following a knockout loss to Agit Kabayel, he restored his standing with a clinical unanimous decision victory over Dave Allen in October 2025.

Pre-Fight

“Everything is going very good. We have had a very good training camp here in Montreal, lots of different sparring partners and a lot of challenges. To be honest, this is a fun fight for us, it is a fight that we didn’t expect at all. We are going there to challenge, we have no pressure, nothing to lose, just everything to gain.

“We can feel an atmosphere in the training camp, we are enjoying this moment.” “We have already fought good boxers, but after the last win with Arslanbek, we created a little bit of publicity. We didn’t expect a fight like this. They offered us the fight and it was a no-brainer for us – especially with the age of Arslanbek, we want to go and try for real,” Marc Ramsay (Makhmudov’s trainer)

The Approach

Fury is expected to abandon the flat-footed, aggressive “Kronk” style that saw him struggle against the mobility and precision of Oleksandr Usyk. Instead, expect a return to the elusive, lateral movement that defined his earlier career. Fury will likely utilize a long-range jab to keep the shorter, stockier Makhmudov at bay, using his reach advantage to “blind” the Russian and prevent him from setting his feet.

Look for Fury to use his lead-hand flick followed by immediate lateral circling to his left (away from Makhmudov’s devastating right hand). Makhmudov’s strategy will likely be an evolution of the performance he gave against Dave Allen in October 2025, where he showed improved patience. Makhmudov will seek to close the distance early, willing to eat a jab to land a thudding hook to Fury’s midsection, hoping to test if the “Gypsy King’s” 37-year-old engine has been truly restored. Makhmudov will likely employ a high-guard peek-a-boo approach to march through Fury’s range.