Fury Wins Return Bout, Challenges Joshua

Tyson Fury returned to the boxing ring with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, then issued a direct challenge to fellow British heavyweight Anthony Joshua for their long-anticipated showdown.

The 37-year-old Fury, fighting for the first time in 16 months, controlled the 12-round bout against the 36-year-old Russian after weathering an aggressive start. Makhmudov pressed forward early, landing some heavy shots, but Fury used his jab and footwork to maintain distance, switching stances and landing counters, including uppercuts and body blows. As his opponent fatigued, Fury asserted dominance in the later rounds, securing scores of 120-108 twice and 119-109 from the judges. The win marked Fury's first victory since back-to-back losses to unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in 2024, when he failed to reclaim the WBC title.

With Joshua watching from ringside, Fury grabbed the microphone in his post-fight interview and called out his compatriot. "Next, I want to give you the fight you've all been waiting for. I want you, AJ, Anthony Joshua. Let's give the fight fans what they want, the Battle of...