Tyson Fury: Who is the Best Contender for the Former Heavyweight Champion’s Comeback Fight?
Tyson Fury has officially ended his retirement, which kept him out of the ring for all of last year. He is gearing up for his 38th professional fight, slated for April. Fury is eager for a trilogy match against Oleksandr Usyk, the only fighter who has managed to defeat him in his professional career. Additionally, a championship bout with the newly crowned WBO heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley would be incredibly enticing.
However, it’s likely that any high-stakes matchups will occur after a preliminary comeback fight scheduled for the first half of 2026.
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Sky Sports is weighing in on the top contenders for Tyson Fury's next fight:
Arslanbek Makhmudov
The Russian heavyweight, now based in Canada, is a formidable contender who has suffered losses only to high-caliber opponents: Agit Kabayel, who is currently the WBC Interim titleholder, and Olympian Guido Vianello. Both of these defeats were by stoppage, but Makhmudov recently showcased his skills by dominating popular British fighter Dave Allen in Sheffield, effectively reestablishing himself in the heavyweight division.
Andy Ruiz
The Mexican-American boxer is a former unified world champion who made history with a stunning upset victory over Anthony Joshua in Madison Square Garden back in 2019. Although he lost his WBA, WBO, and IBF titles to Joshua in their rematch later that same year, Ruiz has only fought three times since then. Nonetheless, he remains a fighter Fury has called out on social media, pointing to a potential exciting matchup.
Jarrell Miller
This controversial American boxer faced setbacks in his career due to failed drug tests prior to a scheduled fight with Anthony Joshua. However, upon his return to the sport, Miller has established himself as a notable heavyweight gatekeeper. He put up a solid performance against Daniel Dubois before ultimately losing by stoppage. In his most recent fight, Miller fought Andy Ruiz to a draw over twelve rounds, showcasing his resilience.
Agron Smakici
Standing at 6 feet 6 inches tall, the Croatian southpaw may not be widely recognized in the boxing world yet boasts a record of 21 wins, 3 losses, with 19 of those victories coming by knockout. Notably, Smakici shares a history with Fury as they have sparred together, and there could be some unresolved tension between them stemming from an incident when Fury sustained a cut during their training sessions, which postponed his initial fight with Usyk.
Justis Huni
The young Australian heavyweight serves as an intriguing point of comparison between Fury and the new champion Wardley. Huni was clearly outboxing Wardley at Portman Road, the home stadium of the Brit, until Wardley landed a spectacular one-punch knockout just as time was running out, demonstrating the unpredictable nature of boxing.
Expert Opinions: Makhmudov as the Ideal Choice
On the Toe2Toe podcast, boxing analysts Barry Jones and Don Charles both agreed that Makhmudov would make an excellent comeback opponent for Fury.
"That makes the most sense for him to return to. It’s the most logical match," said renowned trainer Charles.
Former world champion Jones added, "I believe Makhmudov’s style is tailor-made for Fury. He’s a large fighter with power, hence he poses a danger. However, he tends to run out of strategies quickly, is rather slow, and will tire if he can’t connect. Fury has the skills to evade him. Even in his more straightforward stance, Fury has a knack for making his opponents miss. There’s always the risk he could get caught, but I think Makhmudov represents the ideal fight for him."
So, who do you think would pose the greatest challenge for Tyson Fury in his comeback? Will it be Makhmudov, Ruiz, or another contender? Join the conversation and share your thoughts in the comments!
