Tyson Fury dominated Arslanbek Makhmudov in his comeback fight at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, winning a unanimous decision with scores of 120-108, 120-108 and 119-109. The victory sets up a long-awaited showdown with fellow Brit Anthony Joshua, who was at ringside.
After the fight, Fury called Joshua into the ring, but AJ initially declined. The pair shared a brief handshake as Joshua said, 'It's your night, it's your night.' Fury then issued a direct challenge: 'I want to give the fight fans what they want. I challenge you Anthony Joshua to fight me, Tyson Fury, the Gypsy King, NEXT! Do you accept my challenge?'
Joshua responded from his seat, branding Fury a 'clout chaser' and reminding him they had sparred as youngsters. 'I've been chasing you for the last 10 years,' Joshua said. 'When you're ready, you come and see me and tell me your terms and conditions and I'll have you in the ring when I'm ready. I'm the boss. You work for me.'
Fury fired back: 'The ball's in your court. Let's give the fight fans what they want. Do not run from me this time. 10 years in the making, let's f***ing dance!' He then labelled Joshua a 'dosser' and predicted a knockout.
Later, Joshua joined the Netflix broadcast and hinted a deal was close. 'In my heart, I'll fight Tyson Fury tomorrow. Especially after watching that. There's no problem with me fighting. Contracts will be sent over, we'll go through the nitty gritty and you'll probably see us in the ring next, more than likely.'
Both fighters are now 37 (Fury) and 36 (Joshua), meaning time is running out for the all-British heavyweight clash. Joshua admitted he might not need a warm-up after seeing Fury's performance, but added he had 'real stuff' to attend to before committing fully.
