Tyson Fury
is back. After 16 months out of the ring and a retirement that lasted about as
long as anyone expected it to, the Gypsy King returns to Tottenham Hotspur
Stadium on Saturday, 11 April. If
you want the full picture on what to expect and why it matters, here's what you
need to know.
When and
where
The fight
takes place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in North London on Saturday, 11 April
2026. It's the first live UK boxing event Netflix has broadcast, and it's free
to watch for anyone with an existing subscription. Ring walks for the main
event are expected at around 10pm GMT, so it's a late one if you're watching at
home.
Who is
Arslanbek Makhmudov
This is the
question plenty of UK fans have been asking since the fight was announced.
Makhmudov is a 36-year-old Russian heavyweight who trains and fights out of
Montreal, Canada. His record stands at 21-2 with 19 wins inside the distance,
giving him a knockout rate of 90%. He was considered one of the most feared
heavyweights in the world before consecutive stoppage losses to Agit Kabayel in
four rounds and Guido Vianello in eight rounds exposed real flaws in his
defence.
He rebuilt
with a unanimous decision win over British fan favourite Dave Allen in
Sheffield in October 2025 and arrives at Spurs with momentum, if not
world-level credentials. He has serious one-punch power and has finished 13
of his opponents inside the first round. Fury himself called him the biggest,
scariest opponent he has ever seen, which is either a compliment or a piece of
fight-week theatre, and probably a bit of both.
The ring
rust debate
Fury's
record reads 34-2-1 with 24 knockouts, but the honest picture coming into this
fight is complicated. Both of his losses came against Oleksandr Usyk in 2024,
and his last victory was a narrow points win over Francis Ngannou in October
2023. He is 37 years old, has been out of the ring for 16 months and has not
fought on British soil since stopping Derek Chisora in December 2022. Whether
he comes in sharp or rusty is the central talking point, and it won't take long
to get an answer once the opening bell rings.
The
undercard
The co-main
event is worth watching in its own right. Conor Benn returns to Tottenham in
his first fight since signing with Zuffa Boxing, taking on two-time former
world champion Regis Prograis at a 150lb catchweight. Benn won both his fights
at this stadium against Chris Eubank Jr and comes in with a record of 24-1.
Prograis at 30-3 still carries real knockout power, and this one has the
potential to steal the show. Jeamie Tshikeva also defends his British
heavyweight title against Richard Riakporhe on the same card.
What is
at stake
A convincing
win for Fury keeps the Anthony Joshua fight alive for later in 2026, a bout
that has been five years in the making and still carries enormous weight among
British boxing fans. A loss almost certainly ends his career. For Makhmudov, an
upset at a 60,000-seat stadium on Netflix would change his life overnight and
put him in line for a world title shot. The stakes on both sides are about as
high as they get.
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