<p>Fury returns from yet another retirement to face dangerous Russian heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11. Is this the start of a championship resurgence or the beginning of the end?</p> <p>The Gypsy King is back. Tyson Fury has officially ended his latest retirement, announcing he'll return to the ring on April 11 to face Russian heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov in a fight streamed live on Netflix.</p> <p>Saudi Arabia's Turki Alalshikh confirmed the bout Wednesday, marking Fury's first fight in the United Kingdom since December 2022 and Netflix's first live boxing event on British soil.</p> <p>"Excited to be back. Heart's always been and always will be in boxing," Fury declared. "Someone go tell the king that the ace is back!"</p> <p>The announcement comes barely a month after the former two-time heavyweight champion announced his retirement following back-to-back points losses to Oleksandr Usyk. Apparently the retirement lasted about as long as most Fury retirements do…which is to say, not very long at all.</p> <p>The fight represents a calculated step back into championship contention for Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs). Rather than immediately chasing a trilogy with Usyk or targeting current titleholders, he's selected Makhmudov (21-2, 19 KOs), a dangerous but beatable opponent who provides the perfect platform for a British homecoming. If you're looking to place a wager on this heavyweight clash, check out the latest <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/boxing">boxing betting odds</a> available.</p> <p>The exact venue of the upcoming Fury vs Makhmudov fight hasn't been confirmed yet.</p> <h2>Arslanbek Makhmudov Record: Who Is Tyson Fury's April 11 Opponent?</h2> <p>Makhmudov isn't exactly a household name outside hardcore boxing circles, but he's no pushover either.</p> <p>The 36-year-old Russian-Canadian stands 6'6" tall with a devastating 90% knockout ratio from his 21 professional wins. That's serious power in a division where one punch can change everything. For context, some of the <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/boxing/news/fastest-knockouts-boxing-history">quickest boxing knockouts</a> in history have come from heavyweights with similar finishing ability.</p> <p>His most recent victory came in October 2025 when he outpointed British heavyweight Dave Allen over 12 gruelling rounds in Sheffield.</p> <p>That Allen fight showcased both Makhmudov's strengths and vulnerabilities. He won convincingly on all three scorecards (115-111, 116-110, and 117-109) but Allen made him work harder than expected.</p> <p>The Russian started aggressively, weathered some dangerous moments, and ultimately wore down his opponent through sheer size and pressure. He called out Anthony Joshua immediately after the victory, positioning himself as a legitimate contender.</p> <p>His two career losses came against Agit Kabayel (2023) and Guido Vianello (2024), both by knockout. Those defeats temporarily derailed his heavyweight aspirations before he rebuilt momentum with impressive wins.</p> <p>The Hunter loss particularly stung, as Makhmudov was stopped in the sixth round despite entering as the favourite. That vulnerability to elite-level opposition is probably why Fury's team selected him.</p> <p>For Fury, Makhmudov represents the ideal comeback opponent. He's ranked highly enough that beating him means something, carries genuine knockout power that makes the fight interesting, but lacks the elite skills that made Usyk such a puzzle. It's a winnable fight that can position Fury for bigger opportunities if he looks sharp.</p> <h2>Tyson Fury Retirement History: Why This Comeback Was Inevitable</h2> <p>This marks Fury's latest in a long line of retirements that rarely stick. He announced retirement in January 2025 following his second consecutive points loss to Usyk on December 21, 2024.</p> <p>Before that, he'd retired at least three other times during his rollercoaster career, always finding his way back to the ring when the competitive fire reignited.</p> <p>The Usyk losses represent the only blemishes on Fury's professional record. In May 2024, the Ukrainian handed Fury his first career defeat via split decision, ending a 34-0-1 unbeaten run and becoming the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era.</p> <p>The rematch seven months later went even worse for Fury, with Usyk winning by unanimous decision and removing any doubt about who the better fighter was.</p> <p>Before facing Usyk, Fury's last victory came in October 2023 when he narrowly beat former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia.</p> <p>That controversial split-decision win raised more questions than answers, with many observers believing Ngannou (making his professional boxing debut) had actually outboxed the champion. The shaky performance foreshadowed the struggles against Usyk that followed.</p> <p>Fury enjoyed two separate reigns as heavyweight champion, holding various versions of the world title from 2015 to 2022.</p> <p>His greatest achievement came in November 2015 when he dethroned Wladimir Klitschko in Germany, ending the Ukrainian's nine-year title reign. After battling mental health issues and substance abuse, Fury mounted one of boxing's greatest comebacks, eventually defeating Deontay Wilder in their epic trilogy.</p> <h2>Netflix Boxing 2026: Fury Fight Follows Jake Paul Success</h2> <p>Netflix's push into live boxing continues gathering momentum. The Fury-Makhmudov bout follows the streaming giant's blockbuster Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson event in November 2024, and <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/ufc/fighter-profiles/jake-paul">Jake Paul</a> vs Anthony Joshua bout in December 2025.</p> <p>Despite technical glitches that frustrated viewers during the Paul vs Tyson fight, the numbers proved Netflix could compete in the live sports arena.</p> <p>The fight will be promoted by The Ring Magazine and marks Netflix's first live sporting event broadcast in the United Kingdom.</p> <p>The streaming service is also filming season two of "At Home with the Furys," the reality show following Tyson and his family, set for release later this year. The synergy between the documentary series and live fight creates compelling content that keeps subscribers engaged across multiple platforms.</p> <p>The Fury fight continues Netflix's strategy of securing high-profile boxing matches that generate mainstream attention beyond hardcore fight fans.</p> <p>While purists criticised the Paul-Tyson matchup as a circus, the viewing numbers proved that Netflix understands what casual audiences want. Fury brings legitimate championship credentials that the Paul fight lacked, potentially attracting a more diverse viewership.</p> <p>Fury's purse for the Makhmudov fight hasn't been disclosed, but it'll likely pale in comparison to the reported $100 million he earned across his two Usyk fights, placing those bouts among the <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/boxing/news/highest-paid-boxing-matches">highest paid boxing matches</a> in history.</p> <p>At this stage of his career, Fury is probably prioritizing staying active and rebuilding momentum over maximising single-fight paydays. A dominant performance against Makhmudov on global television could set up more lucrative opportunities down the line.</p> <h2>Keep Reading</h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/how-to-bet-on-boxing">Everything you need to know before betting on boxing</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/ufc/fighter-profiles/anthony-joshua">Inside AJ's journey from Olympic gold to heavyweight contender</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/boxing/news/boxing-weight-classes-guide">From flyweight to heavyweight — every division explained</a></li> </ul>