Tyson Fury launched his fifth comeback with a comprehensive points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday – and then called out British rival Anthony Joshua.
Fury is targeting three fights for 2026 with Joshua the overwhelming preference for his second appearance of the year.
Here the Press Association looks at The Gypsy King’s options.
Anthony Joshua
Fury and Joshua have been circling each other for a decade without climbing into the ring, but momentum is building behind what promoter Eddie Hearn predicts will be the richest fight in history by generating purses in excess of £100million each.
The two exchanged words at ringside on Saturday with Joshua refusing to commit to the long-awaited showdown, in contrast to Fury who insists he has already signed the contract.
A sticking point could be if Joshua seeks a warm-up fight given his victory over YouTube star Jake Paul in December is his only appearance in 19 months, while his most recent credible opponent was Daniel Dubois in 2024 and that ended in a brutal fifth-round knockout.
The 36-year-old was also involved in a fatal car crash in Nigeria in December that killed two close friends and on Saturday stated that “once I’m 100 per cent, I’ll fight”, suggesting he is still coming to terms with the tragedy.
Oleksandr Usyk
Fury declared after outpointing Makhmudov that if the Joshua match fails to materialise, then only a trilogy fight against Usyk will stop him retiring for the sixth time.
However, the appetite among the boxing public for a third instalment of their rivalry is questionable even if Fury continues to dispute the only defeats of his career after losing both bouts on points.
They were heavyweight classics that produced 24 ferociously competitive rounds, but the consensus is that Ukrainian master Usyk, who holds the WBC, WBA and IBF belts, deserved the victories.
Unlike a British blockbuster between Fury and Joshua that would generate huge interest even though their stars are waning, it is hard to see the wider appeal of facing off with Usyk for a third time.
Fabio Wardley or Daniel Dubois
Fury was emphatic on Saturday that if an agreement can not be reached with Joshua or Usyk then he would walk away, declaring he is not interested in the fresher faces who are the future of the division.
But with knockout specialists Wardley and Dubois clashing for Wardley’s WBO belt in Manchester on May 9, the 37-year-old may be given the opportunity to face the winner and become a three-time world champion.
It is an enticing prospect that he would find hard to turn down, not least because by seizing the WBO belt he would have extra bargaining power in the division.
Wardley or Dubois, meanwhile, would fancy their chances against an opponent who was at his peak during his three fights against Deontay Wilder from 2018-2021.
