Tyson Fury secured a dominant technical knockout victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday, December 14, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The fight was stopped in the sixth round after Fury landed a series of unanswered punches. This marked Fury's first fight since his controversial split-decision win over Francis Ngannou in October 2023 and his subsequent withdrawal from a scheduled undisputed title fight with Oleksandr Usyk due to a cut sustained in training.
Following the win, Fury once again called for a long-discussed superfight with British rival Anthony Joshua. "I've only ever wanted one man, Anthony Joshua," Fury stated in his post-fight interview. "He's the fight that the fans want." The two fighters have been linked for over a decade, with negotiations repeatedly collapsing. The most recent serious talks for a 2021 fight fell apart after an arbitration ruling forced Fury to fight Deontay Wilder a third time.
Anthony Joshua is currently scheduled to face Filip Hrgovic for the vacant IBF heavyweight title on a card in London on September 21, 2024. Should both Fury and Joshua win their upcoming bouts, the path could theoretically be clear for a historic all-British showdown. However, given the extensive history of failed deals and the current commitments of both fighters to other opponents and promoters, significant logistical and financial hurdles remain. Boxing analysts remain skeptical that the fight will materialize in the near future.
