TYSON FURY CONFESSES "HEARTBREAKING" DOUBTS AHEAD OF MAKHMUDOV CLASH THIS SATURDAY NIGHT
Fury vs Makhmudov preview: Tyson talks Netflix debut, retirement jitters, and his "shoot me" warning to his team.
Tyson Fury’s got some doubts kicking in as his big comeback draws near. After losing twice to Usyk in 2024, Fury decided he’d had enough and hung up his gloves. He stayed out of the ring for a whole year, then, in a move probably nobody expected, announced he was coming back on January 4.
He’s set to fight Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this Saturday, with Netflix streaming the bout live. But, honestly, Fury’s feeling the jitters. Watching Deontay Wilder and Derek Chisora go at it the other night didn’t help, either. Their wild brawl at the O2 ended with Wilder grabbing a split decision, but the fight looked pretty rough, almost sad. Fury admitted he was shaken up seeing two veteran fighters struggle; it made him wonder if he could be heading down the same path.
He’s coming out of retirement to take on Russian heavyweight Makhmudov in London on April 11. Fans can catch the action live on Netflix, which you get free if you grab Sky’s £15 Essential TV bundle or their £24 Ultimate TV bundle (that one also throws in HBO Max and Disney+).
Talking to The Sun, Fury said, “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 those two. I’m thinking, ‘Am I f***ing next? Is this me?”
In another interview, this time with Ring Magazine, Fury confessed he’s told his team what to do if things start going south on Saturday night against Makhmudov. “I said to the boys, ‘If I’m even 10 per cent as bad as those guys in my fight, take me out to the field and shoot me. Put me out to pasture.’”
He knows he’s been away a while. “By the time the fight comes around on Saturday, I’ll have been out of 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.”
HOW DANIEL DUBOIS SURVIVED TWO KNOCKDOWNS TO STOP A BLOODY FABIO WARDLEY
"I had to dig deep." Read Daniel Dubois' full reaction to his stunning comeback victory against Fabio Wardley in Manchester.
The punch that changed everything wasn't thrown by either of the fighters.
Fabio Wardley came out blazing in his title defence, dropping Daniel Dubois just 10 seconds in. He did it again in the third round, making it look like his big night. But then, something strange happened. As Dubois got up after the fourth round, his trainer, Don Charles, slapped him hard on both cheeks.
That’s when Dubois woke up. “I had to make him realise what he needed to do,” Charles said afterwards. It’s not exactly the kind of thing you see at team-building seminars, but it worked. Dubois turned on, and suddenly Wardley’s reign started to unravel.
Wardley had picked Dubois for the first fight since collecting the WBO belt that Oleksandr Usyk dropped. Honestly, it looked like a smart pick: he dropped Dubois twice and set the tone. But after that slap, Dubois started seeing Wardley’s moves coming; those wild lunges became easier to dodge.
He landed his stiff jab and followed up with savage right hands. Wardley’s jaw somehow took the hits, but his nose was pouring blood, and his right eye was almost swollen shut. He kept pushing forward, showing crazy heart, while Dubois just kept piling on. The fight turned into a brutal spectacle, the kind you can’t look away from.
Wardley got checked twice by doctors but kept fighting. Honestly, it could've stopped before the second-to-last round, when referee Howard Foster finally stepped in. Dubois got his second world title; Wardley, battered and worn, just managed a thumbs up to his mum.
Dubois summed it up later: “I had to dig really deep. When you’re a warrior, you go to dark places. I was nervous at first, all over the place, and had to fight my own battles. That slap woke me up. My dad and everyone were in my corner; I couldn’t let them down.
“Fabio came to fight; he was tough. We were exhausted; it was a real war. I had to use all my skills to win. Great fight, great battle, and I’m No. 1 again.” Sure, Usyk might argue about that, but Dubois proved something; he got up off the canvas and won.
People have called Dubois a quitter since the Joe Joyce fight six years ago. Wardley himself thought Dubois would fold again in Manchester, and for three rounds it looked like he was right until reality snapped Dubois awake.
HEARN HITS BACK: CONTRACT DISPUTE THREATENS DANA WHITE’S MASSIVE FURY VS AJ PROMOTION
"This year is the busiest of my career." Read Dana White’s full statement on promoting the Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua fight.
Dana White is set to take the lead as promoter for the upcoming clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
After a long wait, Fury and Joshua will finally face off later this year in what promises to be a major British heavyweight showdown.
The fight is lined up to happen, provided both fighters navigate their respective warm-up bouts first. Joshua is expected to step into the ring against Kristian Prenga on July 25.
This event is shaping up to be massive, with the fighters’ usual promoters, Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren, continuing to represent them.
Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh will be backing the event financially, and it’s slated to be broadcast live on Netflix.
In a surprising move, Dana White from Zuffa Boxing has announced he’ll be the one promoting the fight.
White said, “This year is hands down the busiest of my career. I’m travelling widely, fully focused on Zuffa Boxing, signing fighters and putting on solid fights. We’ve also struck a deal with Sky in the UK, so look out for quality matchups there. And yeah, I’ll be promoting the Tyson Fury vs AJ fight.”
His role doesn’t come without complications, though, especially since Hearn and Warren are often viewed as rivals.
Tensions between White and Hearn have been rising recently, particularly after White signed Conor Benn, which didn’t sit well with Hearn.
White’s ability to lead this event comes largely through Alalshikh’s backing, who has been a key financial supporter of the UFC Boxing initiative.
Unsurprisingly, Eddie Hearn responded sharply to White’s announcement.
Calling White a clout chaser, Hearn dismissed the idea as contractually impossible and challenged White to back his words.
With this level of friction, things might get even more heated in the weeks ahead.
No official date or venue has been announced yet for the fight, but there’s hope among fans that it will take place in the UK.
