Tyson Fury’s comeback: Can Fury become a three-time heavyweight world champion?

On January 28, it was announced that Tyson Fury would return to the ring against Russian heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11.

Makhmudov has a record of 23 fights, 21 wins, 19 by knockout, and two losses. His last outing was against Doncaster heavyweight Dave Allen, where he won by unanimous decision.

In this article, Sports News Blitz’s Jonathon House examines whether Fury still has what it takes to reclaim world championship glory.

A look back at Fury’s remarkable career

Fury has been out of the ring since December 2024 following his second loss to Oleksandr Usyk.

After that defeat, Fury claimed he was retiring from boxing for good, but he is now back and taking on Makhmudov.

Tyson Fury is a former WBO, IBF, WBA, and WBC world champion. He first won the WBO, IBF, and WBA titles in 2015 against former Ukrainian heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko in Germany, winning by unanimous decision.

It was widely regarded as a boxing masterclass, especially considering Fury entered the fight as a huge underdog.

Shortly after that victory, Fury left boxing and went through the darkest period of his life. Many believed he would never return to the top.

However, he made a comeback, took a few warm-up fights, and then faced Deontay Wilder.

The first fight ended in a draw, although many felt Fury deserved the win. After being knocked down in the final round and seemingly out cold, Fury got back to his feet and shocked the world.

A year later, Fury stopped Wilder in the seventh round to claim the WBC title, defeating a five-year reigning champion.

In doing so, Fury had beaten a nine-year reigning champion in Klitschko and a dominant champion in Wilder.

He then went on to stop Wilder again in the 11th round, ending their trilogy with a bang.

In 2024, Fury faced Oleksandr Usyk twice for all the belts and lost both fights. Those defeats raised questions about whether Fury still has what it takes to compete at the very top.

However, both losses came against the best heavyweight in the world, and Fury had strong moments in each fight.

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Can Fury still compete at the elite level?

For me, Fury remains the number two heavyweight in the division and would beat the majority of contenders.

That said, Makhmudov is no journeyman. If Fury is unfocused or underestimates him, this could be a dangerous night.

While many fans see this as an easy fight for Fury, writing off a fighter like Makhmudov would be a mistake. At his best, though, Tyson Fury beats Makhmudov every time.

The big question is what comes next.

The obvious answer is Anthony Joshua, a fight British boxing fans have wanted for years. Despite it not happening five years ago for undisputed, the hype around that fight remains massive.

There is also Fabio Wardley, the current WBO world champion, who would be another winnable option for Fury.

Then there is Moses Itauma, an exciting young prospect, although many would argue that stepping in with Fury would be too much, too soon.

Whoever Fury chooses to fight next, one thing is guaranteed: there will be huge interest. Tyson Fury remains one of the biggest stars in boxing.

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