Tyson Fury returns to the ring tonight at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, ending a 16-month absence to face big puncher Arslanbek Makhmudov in a heavyweight clash that carries more intrigue than it perhaps would have done a year ago.
Still, if he resembles anything close to the man who pushed Oleksandr Usyk in two high-level encounters, he will be expected to get the job done against an opponent who, while heavy-handed, has shown vulnerabilities at world level.
That is certainly the opinion of former world champion Carl Froch, who told New Betting Sites that Makhmudov could be a banana skin if ‘The Gypsy King’ hasn’t prepared properly, but ultimately doesn’t think that will be the case.
“It’s a potential bad fight for Fury, if Fury’s not taking it seriously, but from what I’ve seen and heard of him, and he’s not in bad shape, he’s not gone massive, he’s not gone up to 25 stone.
“I think he wins, I just hope he’s got the fitness and the engine to do the 12 rounds, because Makhmudov is quite fit and strong for 12 rounds. But he’s shown vulnerabilities around the body, and he’s not of that level. But we don’t know what we’re gonna get with Tyson Fury. I feel like anything can happen.”
With a long-awaited showdown against Anthony Joshua potentially waiting later this year, all eyes will be on how Fury performs rather than simply whether he wins. A convincing display keeps those plans on track – anything less could raise serious questions about what he has left at the top level.