Tyson Fury comeback began with a moment of personal reflection after a tragic event involving his long-time rival, Anthony Joshua. The former heavyweight champion has revealed that the car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two of Joshua’s close friends played a major role in his decision to return to the ring.
Fury is scheduled to make his highly anticipated return on April 11, facing Russian-born heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. This will mark his first fight in 15 months.
The 37-year-old fighter had previously announced his retirement following a second consecutive defeat to Oleksandr Usyk at the end of 2024. After a full year away from boxing, he confirmed his return on January 4. His announcement came shortly after the tragic car accident in December that claimed the lives of Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, close associates of Anthony Joshua.
Speaking on Monday, Fury described the tragedy as a turning point that reshaped his perspective on life and boxing.
“Tomorrow might never come,” Fury said. “The biggest turning point in this comeback for me was the tragedy that happened with Anthony Joshua. You should never put things off until tomorrow, next week or next year, because tomorrow isn’t promised.”
Plans for a long-anticipated Fury versus Joshua bout in 2026 have now been shelved. The former two-time world heavyweight champion also said he felt compelled to return to boxing to reignite excitement in the sport.
“I came back for one reason only; to make boxing great again,” Fury added. “Since I retired for the fifth time over a year ago, boxing has been on a downward slope and it’s become quite boring.”
Fans will now watch closely as Fury prepares to step back into the ring, aiming to reclaim his place among boxing’s elite and inspire a new era for the heavyweight division.
