LONDON, April 11 (Reuters) – Britain’s former heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury outclassed Russia’s Arslanbek Makhmudov en route to a comprehensive points win on Saturday and then called for a showdown with compatriot Anthony Joshua.
With Joshua watching from ringside, Fury fought for the first time since his second loss to Oleksandr Usyk in October 2024 in which he failed to regain the WBC belt he lost to the Ukrainian in the first defeat of his career the previous year, weathering an early storm before winning comfortably.
Makhmudov enjoyed occasional success in the early rounds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium by bull-rushing Fury and forcing him back onto the ropes but struggled to do much damage.
When the 37-year-old Fury started using his jab to control the distance, the writing was on the wall.
Fury began switching stances, bobbing and weaving and aiming to catch his opponent with uppercuts, and when the 36-year-old Russian clinched he was punished with heavy blows to the body and head.
As his opponent tired, the giant Briton began to exert his dominance in the later rounds of the 12-round bout, picking his shots and seldom finding himself in danger.
It was enough for all three judges to give him the decision, with two of them scoring the fight 120-108 and one 119-109.
Fury took the microphone to call out 36-year-old Joshua in his post-fight interview for a fight that would arguably be the biggest in British boxing history.
“Next, I want to give you the fight you’ve all been waiting for. I want you AJ, Anthony Joshua, let’s give the fight fans what they want, the Battle of Britain. And here’s my challenge. I challenge you, Anthony Joshua, to fight me, the Gypsy King, next – do you accept my challenge?” he bellowed.
Given the chance to respond, Joshua refused to take the bait but said he expected the fight to happen if negotiations could be completed successfully.
“Tyson, I’ve never had a problem getting in the ring with you,” Joshua said. “I’ll stand across that ring from you in due time. You ain’t going to tell me what to do.
“I’ve been chasing you for the last 10 years. When you’re ready, you come and see me and tell me your terms and conditions, and I’ll have you in the ring when I’m ready.”
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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