Tyson Fury has revealed that the tragic deaths of two close friends of his long-time rival, Anthony Joshua, played a major role in his decision to return to boxing.
The former world heavyweight champion is set to step back into the ring on April 11 after a 15-month break, where he will face Russian-born heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Fury, 37, had announced his retirement following his second consecutive defeat to Oleksandr Usyk at the end of 2024. He remained inactive for a full year before confirming his comeback on January 4, 2026.
His return came shortly after Joshua was involved in a car accident in Nigeria in December, which claimed the lives of two of his close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.
Speaking on Monday, Fury said the incident deeply affected him and changed his perspective.
“Tomorrow might not ever come, and I suppose the biggest turning point in this comeback for me was the tragedy that happened with Anthony Joshua,” Fury said.
“You should never put things off until tomorrow, next year, or next week because tomorrow is not promised to anyone.”
Meanwhile, hopes of a long-anticipated showdown between Fury and Joshua in 2026 have been put on hold for now.
Fury, who has retired and returned to the sport multiple times, also stated that he came back with the intention of restoring excitement to boxing.
“The truth of the matter is I came back for one reason only, and that’s to make boxing great again,” he said.
“Since I retired for the fifth time over a year ago, boxing has gone on a downward slope for me, and it’s become quite boring.”
Fury’s return is expected to attract significant attention as fans look forward to seeing whether the British heavyweight can reclaim his dominance in the division.
Fury Says Joshua’s Friends’ Death Inspired His Return to Boxing
