Tyson Fury defeats Arslanbek Mahmudov: The Briton calls out Anthony Joshua after the comeback win

The poignant and emotional start to Fury’s ring career saw a tribute to boxing legend Ricky Hatton, with Blue Moon playing in his honor following his death in September.

Then, the atmosphere in north London was electric with Fury’s familiar stage – showing off, showing off and singing – with fireworks shooting over the stadium as he danced to various musical numbers before sprinting to the ring.

The match was broadcast globally on Netflix to its 325 million subscribers, and aired just hours before the release of the second season of At Home with the Furys.

Fury – who briefly retired after Usyk’s losses – has not competed in Britain since December 2022, when he stopped Dereck Chisora ​​in that venue to retain the WBC title.

With 16 of his 19 knockouts in three rounds, Makhmudov carried an early threat on paper and landed directly on Tyson Fury’s ear in the opening round.

But Fury quickly found his rhythm, separating Makhmudov’s high guard from his limited movement with counters, switching between the south hand and the orthodox.

“He’s already tired. Take your time,” Fury’s coach Sugar Hill Steward told him.

Complacency was one concern heading into the fight – Fury had previously struggled with embarrassing underdogs – but despite Makhmudov connecting again with a right uppercut in the fourth round, Fury’s ring prowess, while a bit rusty, was proving too much.

Makhmudov’s corner kick prompted him to beat Fury with a powerful jab, while Fury’s team praised him for his “intelligent” boxing.

Despite pre-match talk of slowing ticket sales, the 62,000-capacity stadium appeared close to being filled, although it was not clear whether that was through strong sales or late freebies.

Fury picked up the tempo in the final rounds, changing his attack and launching several uppercuts, but Khamudov absorbed them without really shaking.

Whether the power that took down Deontay Wilder multiple times diminished, or Mahmudov simply showed a stubborn chin under sustained pressure, Fury was unable to find the breakthrough.

Feeling that a stoppage was unlikely, parts of the crowd began to walk out before the final bell. Fury closed strong, finishing the fight strong at the top.

After a long layoff, his corner appeared to be content simply completing runs and re-establishing rhythm rather than chasing the finish line.