Six big questions for Fury’s fifth return from retirement

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Six big questions for Fury’s fifth return from retirementMedia caption, Two-time world champion Tyson Fury has won 34 fights, lost two and drawn one since turning professional in 2008ByKal SajadBBC Sport boxing journalist in LondonPublished26 minutes agoHe’s back, again. Tyson Fury returns to the ring on Saturday against Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.The 37-year-old retired following a second consecutive points defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024. With a history of retiring and coming back, few felt he was gone for good.Still, another hiatus from the sport leaves questions about what the Gypsy King has left to give in boxing.BBC Sport speaks to WBO heavyweight world champion Fabio Wardley, two-weight world champion Natasha Jonas, boxing analyst Steve Bunce and renowned trainer Joe Gallagher to explore the big questions.Is Makhmudov a risky opponent?Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Makhmudov, 36, boasts a record of 21 wins, 19 by stoppage, and two defeats. The 6ft 6in Russian beat Briton Dave Allen by unanimous decision in October but is a strong underdog against FuryWardley: “A very well-picked opponent for a number of reasons. He looks and sounds the part – a strong, aggressive and powerful Russian – but stylistically he’s kind of perfect for Fury.”Jonas: “Every fight at heavyweight is a tough fight. It only takes one shot. But you would expect someone of Tyson’s class and experience to be able to handle him.”Bunce: “Makhmudov is a really risky opponent for Fury because Makhmudov has something that all heavyweights want. After that win over Dave Allen, he has momentum.”Gallagher: “All heavyweight opponents are dangerous. Stylistically, though, I think he’s made for Fury. He comes in straight lines and Fury’s boxing brain and ability should be too much.”Can Fury become a world champion again?Media caption, Fury has enjoyed two stints as world champion, beating Wladimir Klitschko to win the WBA (Super), IBF, and WBO belts in 2015, and claiming the WBC title in 2020 with victory over Deontay WilderWardley: “In the current state of the heavyweight division, I can’t see how Fury becomes a world champion again. He would have to fight either me or Usyk – and do I think he can beat either of us? No.”If the titles get fractured – if Usyk is stripped of a belt for one reason or another – and Fury fights someone like Lawrence Okolie or Agit Kabayel for a vacant title, then yes, he can become champion.”Jonas: “It will be difficult for anyone to regain a world championship at heavyweight if Usyk doesn’t vacate. It all depends on him.”Bunce: “Anybody in the top 20 or so heavyweights could become a champion in the next 12 to 18 months. Fury can definitely become a champion again. If Usyk decides to give up one, two, or even all of his belts – then Fury would be a major contender.”Gallagher: “I think he can. It all depends on the sanctioning bodies and what happens with vacant belts and stripping champions. He’s a two-time world champion – as is Anthony Joshua – and I’m sure the race is on between them to be a three-time champion.”Croke Park could stage Fury v Joshua in September

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    • Could Fury beat Usyk?

    Oleksandr Usyk lands a right hand against Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia.Getty Images

    Fury’s two career defeats came in successive bouts against generational great Usyk in 2024 and he has spoken of a desire to avenge those losses this year

    Wardley: “I don’t think he would beat Usyk right now. For me personally, there’s no appetite in it either. I think at the moment we want to see Usyk in with someone different.”

    Jonas: “I would love to see the trilogy but I just don’t know it will happen. Do I think Fury wins? From a boxing perspective, probably not. But if he can work his way back up to a title shot then he deserves the shot at least.”

    Bunce: “If Fury and Usyk were going to fight 10 times, I think that six of them would be really, really close – and the other four Usyk is going to win clearly. But I think Usyk wins all 10. Usyk’s a bogeyman. But it’s not just Fury – Usyk might be a bogeyman for everyone he’s beaten so far.”

    Gallagher: “I felt Usyk was one punch away in the first fight from ending the contest. He showed his ability. You don’t know if the wars and fighting bigger men will catch up with Usyk and you can never rule Fury out, but going by the first two fights, you’d have to go Usyk again.”

    Is there still an appetite for Fury v Joshua?

    A heavyweight super-fight between Britons Joshua and Fury has been close to materialising before but has never happened

    Wardley: “There will always be an appetite. No matter what, they could be 50 and if we haven’t seen it, we’d still want to see it. It would generate huge public interest. We’d just be annoyed that it’s come so late – it should have been five years ago.”

    Jonas: “For the British public, no matter what, there will always be an appetite. It’s one of the biggest fights, commercially and fan-wise, in British boxing. They are both past their best, which is fair to say, but at least they’re both past their peak. So it equals out.”

    Bunce: “I’m not sure there is. I think Joshua’s car crash has made most people stand back and have a look at it again. And what I think sensible people fear is this becoming some kind of ghoulish attraction. I’m sure there’s a belief that Joshua comes back and fights. I’m just not convinced. And if he does get back in the ring, I’m not quite sure what type of Joshua we will see.”

    Gallagher: “There will always be an appetite for the general public but for the boxing public it’s a pity this fight didn’t happen when they were world champions or in their prime. But the build-up and the hype will be huge and social media will be in a frenzy. So there is a big enough curiosity.”

    Can an elite fighter train themselves without an elite coach?

    Tyson Fury working the pads during a training session with SugarHill StewardGetty Images

    Fury – who has most recently been trained by SugarHill Steward (left) – has claimed he will have no trainer against Makhmudov but the American has been spotted with Team Fury in fight week in London

    Wardley: “It can be done. Whether it’s a positive and it gives you any benefit is a different question entirely. Is it the best course of action? Probably not.”

    Jonas: “For my own personal experience, it’s hard to push yourself when things get tough in training. You always need somebody, whether that’s a trainer or your dad in the corner, you always need someone.”

    Bunce: “Some of the greatest fighters in history have essentially trained themselves or worked with a secondary trainer until their ‘main’ trainer comes in late into camp or gets really involved deep into camp. Perhaps the most famous is Muhammad Ali and Angelo Dundee. Dundee was not an ever-present in Ali’s training life, but he came in at the end and he performed miracles in the minutes before rounds. He spotted things and did things. So the answer is yes – it could happen and it can happen.”

    Gallagher: “If we’re taking what Fury says at face value, then yes he can against someone like Makhmudov. Fury is a very knowledgeable fighter with a great boxing brain. So he could beat him without being told what to do. But a trainer earns his money when he’s in the corner and things aren’t going right, a gameplan isn’t working, and then he can adapt. Just think back to Angelo Dundee telling Sugar Ray Leonard “you’re blowing it, son”. Or Emmanuel Steward reading the riot act to Lennox Lewis and he then knocked Mike Tyson out.”

    Is Fury still the biggest crossover star in British boxing?

    Tyson Fury making his entrance at a news conference in London, with Netflix branding behind himGetty Images

    Fury v Makhmudov will headline on Netflix, which has a subscriber base of 325 million. Fury’s reality TV show At Home with the Furys also broadcasts on the platform

    Wardley: “He is the biggest crossover star in British boxing – the guy with his own Netflix reality show, the guy who fought in the WWE. I would say he’s the biggest kind of commercial crossover boxer at the moment.”

    Jonas: “He’s definitely up there. He’s an interesting character with so many layers. He’s not as politically correct as some of the other fighters or polished, he says what he feels and has his own views and opinions. Rightly or wrongly, he portrays that. And people can relate to him because he doesn’t pretend to be perfect.”

    Bunce: “It’s neck and neck between Fury and AJ. We’ve seen that with AJ over the last few years, and with his Netflix fight against Jake Paul last year, and we’ve obviously seen it in the past with Fury. That’s why it’s such a shame that the two of them didn’t fight already. They could be looking at a trilogy now.”

    Gallagher: “Joshua against Paul was huge and was a great crossover fight for Joshua to introduce him to an American audience. But I’d say Fury, with all that he’s done in and outside of the ring – is probably just a bit bigger globally.”

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