Tyson Fury is stepping back into the ring and back into the spotlight.
The former heavyweight champion will face Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11, confirming the bout in a social media post Thursday.
For Fury, 37, it is another return from retirement and a chance to steady his career after back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.
Tottenham calling again
The London stadium is familiar ground. Fury last fought there in December 2022, stopping Derek Chisora in their trilogy bout before more than 60,000 fans. This time, the stakes feel heavier.
His most recent outing came in December 2024 in Riyadh, where he dropped a unanimous decision to Oleksandr Usyk in their rematch. That defeat followed a split decision loss to the Ukrainian earlier that year, leaving Fury on the wrong side of a 2-0 rivalry and without a share of the heavyweight crown.
Now he returns with a point to prove.
Promoter Frank Warren says the former champion is locked in. Training in Thailand, Fury has, in Warren’s words, "got the bit between his teeth,” adding that he is in shape and fully in fight mode.
Power and pressure
Across the ring will be Arslanbek Makhmudov, a 36-year-old Russian contender with 19 knockouts in 21 wins. He carries real power and little subtlety, the kind of heavyweight who looks to end matters early.
Though he has two defeats on his record, his camp believes a win over Fury would slam the door on any talk of another comeback.
For Fury, whose record stands at 34-2-1 with 24 knockouts, this is more than a routine homecoming.
It is his fifth return after announcing retirement at various points in his career. Each time he has come back. Each time the spotlight has followed.
The heavyweight scene remains crowded and volatile. Usyk still sits atop the division, while other contenders circle for position. At 37, Fury no longer has the luxury of easing his way back.
April 11 will reveal whether the Gypsy King still belongs among the elite or whether this latest chapter is a final swing at relevance.