Tyson Fury will face Arslanbek Mahmudov in the UK on April 11

The biggest surprise isn’t Fury’s return – we’ve almost lost count of the number of times he’s retired and come back – but it’s that it’s coming to Netflix, with a global subscriber base of 325 million people.

It confirms Fury’s status as one of boxing’s few crossover stars. Love him or hate him, Fury is a box office hit, a fighter who attracts attention far beyond the sport.

Also surprisingly, Fury is being promoted through Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, which airs exclusively with Dazn. However, Warren allowed the Gypsy King to deviate from this arrangement on this occasion.

“Tyson wants to return to the throne and I support him 100% to do so,” Warren posted on X.

This is Fury’s first match in the UK since December 2022, after three consecutive matches in Saudi Arabia.

The number of shows held in Riyadh may be dwindling, but the money and influence behind the sport is still led by Saudi Arabia. The fight is supported by Turki Al-Sheikh – head of the General Sports Authority in Saudi Arabia – under the banner of Ring Magazine.

Fans wanted a bigger name opponent. Makhmudov is a dangerous and imposing threat, and Fury can’t afford to be complacent, but anything close to Usyk’s performance should be enough for a comfortable win.

So what next, should it pass? The pursuit of a long-awaited Anthony Joshua fight, which was expected to take place in 2026, has understandably cooled following Joshua’s tragic car crash in December.

Until Joshua’s next steps become clearer, Fury’s focus is back on world titles, with early talk of a potential move for WBO champion Fabio Wardley later this year.