Tyson Fury announces boxing comeback after Joshua’s car crash
Tyson Fury has emerged from retirement once more, announcing his return to professional boxing at a press conference held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this afternoon, reports BritPanorama.
The former world heavyweight champion revealed that Anthony Joshua’s devastating car accident in Nigeria last December served as the pivotal moment that drew him back to the sport. Joshua survived the crash near Lagos, but two of his closest companions and training team members, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, perished in the collision. Joshua himself required hospital treatment following the incident but has since recovered.
Fury, who had stepped away from boxing following consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, will face Russian heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov on 11 April at the north London venue. Despite the tragedy affecting his rival, Joshua has returned to training as he contemplates his next move in the ring following his knockout victory over Jake Paul in Miami last December.
The two-time world champion paid tribute to his fallen friends in January, describing them as “his brothers” and acknowledging that their loss has been “really tough” to bear. Fury disclosed that he received the tragic news while on a family holiday in Thailand over Christmas, having sought respite from Britain’s dreary winter weather. “The biggest turning point in this comeback for me was the tragedy that happened with Anthony Joshua,” he stated.
Fury elaborated on his change of heart, saying, “I thought, you know what? Life is very, very short and very precious and very fragile. Anything could happen at any given moment. You should never, never put things off until tomorrow or next year or next week. Tomorrow is not promised to nobody.” He added, “There is no tomorrow to put it off to. So that’s why I’m back today for this big fight.”
The 37-year-old previously boasted an impressive unbeaten record of 34 victories and a single draw before suffering back-to-back losses to Usyk, the second of which came in December 2024. Fury had announced his fifth retirement at the beginning of last year before reversing that decision.
Makhmudov, who stands at an imposing six feet six inches, brings a 21-2 record into the contest. The upcoming bout rekindles the fierce rivalry between Fury and Joshua, two of Britain’s most celebrated heavyweight champions, although personal animosity has been set aside following the December tragedy.
As the heavyweight landscape shifts once more, Fury’s return not only brings excitement but also highlights the fragility of life and careers in boxing. It’s a reminder that in a sport where the stakes are the highest, moments of personal tragedy can turn rivals into allies, however briefly.
