Tyson Fury has announced he will return to boxing in 2026, nearly a year after he announced his latest retirement from the ring. The 37-year-old British heavyweight posted on Instagram on Sunday: '2026 is that year. Return of the mac. Been away for a while but I’m back now, 37 years old and still punching. Nothing better to do than punch men in the face and get paid for it.'
Fury had confirmed the end of his professional career in January 2025, following a second points loss to Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024. However, his history of retirement U-turns—having previously retired after beating Dillian Whyte in April 2022 only to return later that year—meant scepticism over his permanent exit. Fury was incensed by the judges' decisions in his twin defeats to Usyk, the only boxer to beat him, and said in his retirement message: 'I’m going to end with this: Dick Turpin wore a mask.'
The announcement fuels speculation of a long-awaited bout against Anthony Joshua, another former two-time world heavyweight champion. The pair agreed to a fight in August 2021 when they held all major world titles, but it was scuppered when Fury was ordered to face Deontay Wilder for a third time. Plans for Joshua and Fury to have tune-ups in early 2025 before a potential clash in late summer or 2026 were complicated after a car crash in Nigeria left Joshua injured and led to the deaths of two close friends and team members.
If Joshua is unavailable, Fury could seek a trilogy fight against WBC, WBA and IBF titlist Usyk, or an all-British contest with WBO champion Fabio Wardley. A win over either would see Fury become a three-time world heavyweight champion. Fury had 34 wins in 37 fights and two stints as world champion.
