Tyson Fury: Dillian Whyte issues warning ahead of 'very dangerous' Arslanbek Makhmudov fight
Dillian Whyte warns Arslanbek Makhmudov is a dangerous opponent for Tyson Fury ahead of their April 11 showdown; British heavyweight Whyte tells Sky Sports he wants big fights, including an Anthony Joshua rematch, and says he remains motivated to continue his career despite recent setbacks
Wednesday 25 March 2026 18:09, UK
Dillian Whyte believes Arslanbek Makhmudov could be a 'very dangerous' comeback fight for Tyson Fury.
Fury will end a 16-month absence from the ring when he returns against Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11.
Makhmudov, at 6′ 5" tall, is an imposing opponent for Fury and has demonstrated his punch power with 19 stoppages in his 21 victories, with just two defeats on his record.
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"At first I thought, easy fight for Fury, very easy fight for Fury - that was my first response," said Whyte, who was stopped in the sixth round of his WBC title fight against Fury in 2022.
"But after going back and watching Makhmudov, I said, OK, he's a tough guy, he's coming off a couple of good wins, and he's a big puncher.
"Fury loses some of his height and reach advantage, which has been a big factor for him in his career, so I think it makes for a very interesting fight.
"It's a very, very dangerous fight for Fury. Most boxing fans will say it's an easy fight for Fury, but I don't think it's an easy fight.
"Fury has also been put down a couple of times by guys he shouldn't have been put down by and Makhmudov can punch a lot harder, so let's see."
Whyte expects to resume his career in the next few months and has recently been linked again with a rematch against Anthony Joshua.
"I would love that fight," Whyte added. "Me and AJ have history - we always have a good fight. Win, lose, or try, it'll always be a good fight. But let's see.
"Of course, he'd rather fight Tyson Fury than fight me, obviously. Given where we are in our careers, we probably haven't got a lot more fights left in the tank.
"He'd rather fight Fury than fight me, but if they offer me a fight, I'll take it. I want to fight the best guys - it's what I've done my whole career, and I'll continue to do this until the day I retire.
At the age of 37, Whyte insists he still has burning desire to face the biggest names in boxing and wants to 'redeem himself' after his early defeat to Moses Itauma in August.
"I just take it day by day - in fact, fight by fight," Whyte explained. "A lot of people were saying I should retire after the last fight, but I feel all right, I feel good.
"A lot of guys retire too early, a lot of guys retire too late, so I just take it fight by fight and listen to the advice of my team and my friends and family. They know me better than I know myself. I like to fight - they know me better than I know myself.
"Every day I wake up so motivated to go to the gym, with or without a fight. I still feel good, I still have that drive and that aggression in me.
"Obviously, a few people were baffled by the last fight, but a lot of things happened in camp. I'm not going to go into it, but a lot happened in camp. I want to redeem myself and show people that that wasn't me that night."
