Tyson Fury is still the second best heavyweight in the world, but he will struggle with that status, says Johnny Nelson
Tyson Fury will return to boxing in April when fights Arslanbek Makhmudov; Even though Fury hasn't fought for over a year, former world champion and Sky Sports boxing expert Johnny Nelson believes Fury is the second best in the division but says he will struggle with that status
Friday 27 February 2026 19:50, UK
Tyson Fury remains the second best heavyweight in the world, but he still has come to terms with his loss to Oleksandr Usyk, says former world champion and Sky Sports boxing expert Johnny Nelson...
Now he's back, out of everybody out there bar Usyk, Tyson Fury has the most credentials, pedigree, character in and out of the ring.
The only thing he hasn't got is the age on his side. I don't think he's got the legs he used to have. He's got everything else. So he's got to be smart enough in regards to who he picks to fight and the fights he has.
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Until someone proves otherwise, he's the second best heavyweight in the world. He's too clever for them all.
But if you're a world champion and you really believe you're the best fighter in the world, it means you really believe, with eight billion people on this earth, you are the best fighter in your weight division. That takes some arrogance.
So when you're a heavyweight and you believe that, like Anthony Joshua did, like Tyson Fury really, really did, for him to accept he's no longer officially the man - it must be very hard. So he's got to talk like 'I am the man'.
Deontay Wilder struggled to accept losing to Tyson Fury. I think Tyson Fury's there with the Usyk fights. He lost. He's trying to find himself.
Maybe he's had to keep watching Usyk to convince himself he can beat him.
He should fight Fabio Wardley. If Tyson Fury said to Frank Warren, I want to fight Fabio Wardley for the world title, Frank will do it.
Once Tyson's boxed Makhmudov, depending on what his appetite's like, how the win is, how he thinks he performed, he'll go to Frank and say what fight he wants next and Frank will give him that fight next.
If Wardley's still champion, it'll be Wardley and that's a good fight.
Watch Terri Harper fight Caroline Dubois for the WBC and WBO world lightweight championships live on Sky Sports on Sunday April 5.
