Fury Weighs in Lighter for Makhmudov Showdown

Ahead of their highly anticipated heavyweight bout at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Tyson Fury and Arslanbek Makhmudov stepped onto the scales. This marks Fury's first fight following his loss to Oleksandr Usyk in their rematch at the end of 2024, after which he took a brief retirement. Now, at 37, Fury's condition and form are under close scrutiny. He weighed in at 267.9lbs, significantly lighter than the 281lbs he weighed for his Usyk rematch, albeit with clothes on. Fury shared his thoughts, saying, "It gets a little bit harder each time in camp. Getting older, more injury-prone, Father Time waits for nobody, it gets a little bit more difficult every time, but I still have plenty in the tank. My priority is to beat this opponent; I have loads of Easter eggs in the fridge ready for me. Whoever holds these belts, I want them back. I was undefeated for 17 years, a very long time, and I took it for granted. After two losses in a row, I'm not the hunted but the hunter again. It takes me back to 2015; it feels great to be the young, fresh, clean-shaven kid again. I'll get this big man out of the way, and then I've got the other big man next." Makhmudov, a seasoned heavyweight contender with two losses but a notable knockout ratio of over 90%, looked formidable at 264.9lbs. Unlike Fury's typical bombast, Makhmudov has been relatively quiet in the build-up, stating, "I'm ready to go; I can't wait to make my story happen, make my dream happen. It's my dream, my time. When I was nine years old, my uncle said I would be like Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. For this fight, I'm ready for 12 or 20 rounds, no problem." In other weigh-ins, Conor Benn came in under the 150lb catchweight limit at 149.5lbs for his first fight since moving back down from middleweight. Benn faces Regis Prograis, who weighed in at 148.1lbs, moving up from super-lightweight. Benn shared, "I definitely could have made 147; until you've done it, you aren't sure. Everybody has been more experienced, but it's my job to go in there and prove I'm at that level continuously. I've been putting middleweights over in the gym; I'm excited to be fighting somebody my own size for once." Prograis, a two-time world champion, expressed confidence, saying, "I think it comes down to levels; I've been the best in the world. I don't take anything away from Conor Benn, but I do think I'm the better fighter. I look in his eyes; he's definitely ready, I'm definitely ready, I think I bring out things he hasn't seen before." Richard Riakporhe hit the scales at 234.12lbs ahead of his British heavyweight title fight against defending champion Jeamie 'TKV' Tshikeva, who was 262.7lbs. Riakporhe reflected on his journey, stating, "It was crazy getting down to cruiserweight; when I think about how many miles I had to run, skipping meals, I wouldn't eat for days before a fight, I'd be eating salads. It's a legendary belt to have under your name, British champion; there's a ring to it, I'm glad to be part of it." Frazer Clarke, seeking a comeback win, weighed in at 259.12lbs against Australian Justis Huni, who was the lighter of the two at 246.14lbs. Clarke expressed his excitement, saying, "I'm not feeling pressure; I'm excited. If you aren't excited and enjoy what you do, you'll never excel in it. Since my move to Joe Gallagher, the excitement, the positivity, it comes down to Saturday night. People have short memories; I'm a good fighter, and I'll show that Saturday. We know he can box; other than his Wardley defeat, he's looked good in all his fights, but I can box."