What's Tyson Fury's Next Move?

Tyson Fury’s unanimous decision victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov has raised questions over his next steps.  

While the 120-108 (twice) and 119-109 scorecards reflected a clinical shutout, the fight raised as many questions as it answered. Fury lacked a knockout against a tiring opponent. With Fury shaking off the ring rust in front of a sold-out Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the stage is perfectly set for a domestic showdown with Anthony Joshua. The pair exchanged words ringside.

"I said we would get Makhmudov out of the way and then talk. The battle of Britain. I challenge you Anthony Joshua to fight me – the Gypsy King – next. He needs to say ‘yes or no’ now. Come on you s***house – are you going to fight or not? Let’s give the fight fans what they want – let’s f***ing dance" AJ refused to get out of his chair – let alone enter the ring – and his mic was broken in a shambolic ending, he said: I never had a problem getting in the ring with you" before the mic failed. Then he stuck his middle finger up at the showman," Fury said

"I’m going to be completely honest. There’s a negotiation to go through. I’ve sat at this table many times. I’m not here to chase clout. Contracts will be sent over and I’ll more than likely be in the ring with him next. He’s the one that retired. I’ve been in the game for 13 years, I’ve never retired. I make the big fights, that’s what I said to him. He works for me. That could be a warm-up fight after what I saw tonight. I’m not ducking no one. I know what my job is, there’s just real things going on in my life. I run the game, I’m a serious fighter and I’m very strong as well. When I hit Fury I’m gonna hurt him bad," Joshua said 

The "Last Chance Saloon"

Both men are now in their late 30s (Fury 37, Joshua 36). While Fury looked sharp against Makhmudov, his lack of a knockout—combined with Joshua’s recent recovery from a car accident in late 2025—proves that these two titans are entering their final chapters. We’ve watched this rivalry define a generation of British boxing from afar; if they don’t step into the ring now, they risk becoming the modern-day "Lennox Lewis vs. Riddick Bowe"—a legendary fight that only happened in our imaginations.

"Interim" Fight

Fury’s camp want AJ next, However, Eddie Hearn is already mentioning a summer tune-up against Deontay Wilder for Joshua. In heavyweight boxing, anything can go wrong. One heavy right hand from Wilder or an injury could flush a decade of anticipation down the drain.

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