Tyson Fury: Anthony Joshua's tragic loss inspired my boxing comeback | 'Anything could happen, never put things off'
Tyson Fury explains what has motivated his return to boxing; the former heavyweight world champion announced his retirement at the start of last year, but will now come back to the sport; Fury's fights Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Monday 16 February 2026 18:11, UK
Tyson Fury was inspired to return to boxing by the tragic accident that saw Anthony Joshua lose two of his closest friends.
Fury and Joshua, two of Britain's most prominent sports stars and both former heavyweight world champions, have a long-standing rivalry.
But all personal animosity was put aside when, in December, Fury heard that Joshua, while visiting family in Nigeria, had been in a road traffic accident.
Two of Joshua's friends and members of his training team, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, were killed. Joshua himself was hospitalised and is recovering.
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At the start of 2025, Fury had announced that he would retire from boxing. But now he will come back to fight Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11 in London.
At a press conference at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Fury explained what inspired his return.
"Tomorrow might not ever come," he said. "The biggest turning point in this comeback for me was the tragedy that happened with Anthony Joshua. I was on holiday in Thailand with my family for Christmas, just to get away from the rain.
"I hear all that bad news that's gone on and I thought, you know what, life is very short, very precious and very fragile.
"Anything could happen at any given moment and you should never put things off until tomorrow, or the next year or next week, because tomorrow is not promised to nobody.
"Tomorrow is a mystery, we have to live for today. And me living for that day, I made my mind up there and then that I'm going to come back to boxing - because it's something that I love, I'm passionate about and that I've always been in love with.
"There is no tomorrow to put it off to, so that's why I'm back today for this big fight."
This isn't the first time Fury had retired from boxing. "I was enjoying being retired," he explained. "It comes to a point where you want to go back to work. My work will always be the fight game.
"The fight game, it never leaves you. It's always with you, now and forever."
The two fighters faced off for the first time, with Fury rearing up and growling playfully at Makhmudov.
The Russian based in Canada has lost to Agit Kabayel and Guido Vianello but most recently beat David Allen in Sheffield. He knows this opportunity against Fury could be the making of him.
"For me it's a dream fight. All my life I go for my goal," Makhmudov said. "I'm just following my goal and enjoying his time now.
"I'm coming here for my legacy, my story."
Fury though warned him against taking confidence from beating Allen. He insists he bears no comparison to the Sheffield heavyweight. "That's like swimming in a garden pond and trying to swim across the Atlantic Ocean in bad weather," Fury said.
The former champion can still exude menace when he chooses to. Addressing his opponent, he declared: "I'm looking forward to punching his face right in. It's been a while, I've missed it. I missed it a lot.
"I have to fight somebody dangerous to make me want to even train, make me want to take it seriously.
"I know he can't get out of the way of my punches. He knows he's in there with a legend of a fighter."
Fury finished with a prediction. Victory, of course: "Probably a big right hand. KO. Round six."
