Tyson Fury has disclosed that Anthony Joshua’s tragic car accident in Nigeria became the “biggest turning point” behind his decision to end his retirement.
Fury, 38, is preparing to step back into the ring for the first time in more than 14 months when he faces Russian heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11.
If the Gypsy King defeats the 36-year-old Russian, it could pave the way for a long-anticipated showdown with fellow Briton Joshua, ending a five-year saga of speculation surrounding a blockbuster clash.
Telegraph Sport understands that negotiations to stage the all-British contest have been ongoing for several months, involving leading figures in boxing, including Saudi Arabian government minister Turki Al-AlSheikh.
However, Joshua’s career has been paused after the former two-time heavyweight champion was involved in a car crash in late December that claimed the lives of two of his close friends. Fury said the incident ultimately “made up” his mind about returning to boxing.
“The biggest turning point in this comeback for me was a tragedy that happened with Anthony Joshua,” Fury said at a press conference in north London. “I was on holiday with my family in Thailand for Christmas, then I hear all the bad news, and it made me think that life is very, very short and very precious, very fragile.
“Anything can happen at any given moment. You should never put things off until tomorrow or next year or next week because tomorrow is never promised to nobody. The Bible says ‘Tomorrow is not a gift, tomorrow ain’t promised, tomorrow is a mystery. So we have to live for today.
“I made my mind up there and then that I’m going to come back to boxing because it’s something that I love and I’m passionate about and I’ve always been in love with, and there is no tomorrow to put it off too, so that’s why I’m back today for this big fight.”
On Monday, Joshua shared an Instagram story showing himself seated inside a helicopter in Oman.
Fury, who has not fought since suffering his second defeat to Oleskandr Usyk in December 2024, also stated that his comeback is aimed “to make boxing great again.” His bout with Makhmudov will be streamed on Netflix, marking the first boxing event in the UK to air on the platform, which boasts over 325 million subscribers.
“Since I retired for the fifth time over a year ago, boxing has gone downwards, has become quite boring. Boxing is at its maximum potential when Tyson Fury is actively fighting, and I didn’t say that, the cleverest AI on earth said that, ChatGPT,” Fury remarked.
He suggested he intends to fight at least twice this year. His promoter, Frank Warren, said: “I’d like to see him in with Usyk again. They were great fights to watch. And also I’d like to see him fight the winner of Fabio [Wardley] and Daniel [Dubois].”
Wardley and Dubois are scheduled to contest the WBO title on May 9 in Manchester. Nevertheless, many boxing fans continue to hope for a long-awaited clash between Fury and Joshua, a rivalry that has stretched on for nearly a decade.