Can Makhmudov Force Fury into Permanent Retirement? 'He's the Greatest of All Time'

The anticipation of a historic showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua is palpable, with both fighters consistently mentioning each other's names in the lead-up to their potential clash. However, before Fury can focus on Joshua, he must first overcome the formidable Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham this weekend. This will be Fury's first fight since his second consecutive loss to Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024. Despite rumors of an agreement with Joshua, Fury has downplayed the speculation, emphasizing that his primary focus is on the upcoming challenge against Makhmudov. In an interview with Sky Sports, Fury expressed his skepticism about the rumored fight with Joshua, stating, 'I've heard it all before... Not that I'm aware of. I've heard it for the last 10 years apparently.' He emphasized that until both fighters are in the ring together, there is no confirmed fight. Fury's attention is currently on Makhmudov, whom he describes as a 'big, intimidating-looking man' and a 'scary-looking dude.' Makhmudov boasts an impressive record of 21-2, with 19 knockouts, 16 of which were achieved within two rounds. His two losses were via stoppage against world title contender Agit Kabayel and Italy's Guido Vianello. Fury is not underestimating Makhmudov, acknowledging that he is a 'very dangerous man' and a 'massive monster.' Fury suffered his first professional defeat in May 2024 when he lost to Usyk by split decision, missing the opportunity to become the undisputed heavyweight champion. He was outperformed again in their rematch later that year. Makhmudov believes that Fury is the greatest heavyweight fighter in history, stating, 'Tyson Fury's the best heavyweight in history... Big guy with big punch, of course he's dangerous, everyone at this level is dangerous.' Fury has come out of retirement multiple times throughout his career, and Makhmudov is determined to retire him for good. Promoter Camille Estephan warned that if Fury is not prepared for a war, it will be a short night, and Fury's retirement will be permanent. Fury reflected on his famous victory over Wladimir Klitschko in 2015 as the peak of his career. Despite his latest retirement stint, he maintains that little has changed in the boxing world. If he fails this weekend, he accepts that the blame will be on him, stating, 'I was training myself in Thailand, feeding myself, no nutritionist, Tyson Fury's the manager, promoter, nutritionist, and trainer for 99 per cent of the camp. If anything goes wrong, blame me!'