Tyson Fury has challenged long-time rival Anthony Joshua to a blockbuster fight after securing a comfortable points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov in his return to the ring.
Fury, 37, was fighting for the first time in 15 months and delivered a dominant performance, winning convincingly on the scorecards. Moments after the bout, he called out Joshua, who was watching from ringside, urging him to agree to a long-anticipated all-British showdown.
«I challenge you, Anthony Joshua, to fight me next. Do you accept?» Fury said in the ring.
However, any immediate clash has been delayed after both Fury and Makhmudov were handed automatic short-term suspensions under rules set by the British Boxing Board of Control. The regulations require fighters to observe a mandatory rest period of at least six days following a contest.
Joshua responded cautiously to Fury’s callout, refusing to commit to a fight and instead dismissing his rival’s remarks.
«You aren’t going to tell me what to do — I’ve been chasing you for 10 years,» he said, also noting he is still recovering from a recent personal setback.
Fury’s victory comes after back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk — the only losses of his professional career — and signals his intent to return to the top of the heavyweight division.
A potential fight between Fury and Joshua has long been one of boxing’s most anticipated matchups, and Fury’s latest challenge is likely to intensify calls for the bout to finally take place.
