Boxing
Tyson Fury rejects father’s ‘best past’ claims and vows ‘I’ll still be the same’
Published
6 months agoon
Tyson Fury insists he is not yet at his best ahead of his latest return to action against Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The two-time world heavyweight champion is fighting for the first time since losing a unanimous decision to world No. 1 Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024, which was his second consecutive points loss to the Ukrainian.
Fury’s father, John, who has participated in some of his son’s fights over the past decade since Fury first became world champion with a points victory over Wladimir Klitschko in 2015, this week said Tyson’s “best days are behind him.”
However, Fury (34-2-1, 24 KO), a 37-year-old native of Morecambe, England, insists his last two fights have not shown any decline and he is still in “excellent” shape.
“I am the same fighter [compared to five years ago]I’m the same fighter I’ve always been, the same OG,” Fury told ESPN.
“In the next five years, I will still be the same, always.
“It’s a different man – one of them is about twenty years aged [when Fury fought Klitschko] and the other man is in his 30s [when Fury fought Usyk]. So it’s not the same player, not the same performance, not the same size of opponent and not the same style of opponent. Klitschko was 180 cm high and a monster, Usyk was a southpaw, a monster and smaller.
“But I thought I did amazing in both fights with Usyk. If you like skillful counter-punching and headbutting from a boxer that people can’t touch, you’ll like the former. If you like someone up front, bombing through the middle, you’ll like the latter. They were great performances.”
“I’m over the moon with these performances. I can’t lend a hand but not make a decision. But I think I did great in these fights. I don’t feel like I’ve regressed or that I’m too aged or anything like that. I feel like these were prestigious shows and if I made a decision, no one would say it was crap, right?”
“We are always evolving as fighters and people, always changing and learning fresh things. Even at the age of 37, you can always learn every day. I have always been a genius in the boxing ring, I have always been a dolphin in that ring.”
Fury hopes to defeat Russia’s Makhmudov and then fight Usyk again later this year and wants the fight to take place in the UK rather than Saudi Arabia, where he has fought his last three fights. Fury also said he was open to fighting English rival and former champion Anthony Joshua, who was involved in a car crash in December that killed two of his friends.
“I’ll get it [fight vs. Usyk]Who else will he fight? I’m cash, I’m cash flow in the division,” Fury told ESPN.
“Who else are they going to fight? At this level it’s all about money. I can’t see him fighting anyone else who can make as much money as fighting me. And we have unfinished business, I think I won the first two fights. But I don’t want to fight in the Middle East, I want to fight somewhere in the UK or Europe. The time zone is a killer for me and I’m not actually there [in Saudi Arabia].
“After the Anthony tragedy, I didn’t really push for it, but let’s see how he feels. If he wants to come back, great, but if he doesn’t want to come back, that’s great too. It’s not something I’m going to hold my breath for. We’ve been on the verge of this fight like five times and it still hasn’t happened.”
Usyk (24-0, 15 KO), 39, who will defend his WBC heavyweight title against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in Egypt on May 23, aims to have three more fights before retiring, but Fury is not putting a time limit on how much time he will have left.
“I won’t say my age or how many fights I’ve had, I’ve retired many times and who knows, maybe I’ll retire after the next fight,” Fury told ESPN.
“I’m targeting this substantial Russian knockout puncher who’s here to knock my brains out. It’s a tough fight, I’ve been out of the ring for 16 months, maybe I’ll get knocked out, who knows, and then you won’t be able to target anything. That’s why I don’t like to talk about people who are my targets until I achieve what I’m trying to achieve right now, which is defeating Arslanbek Makhmudov. I will fight as many times as I can.” 2026.
“I’ve known Arslanbek for a long time. In 2023, when I was the WBC champion, he was ranked 1st or 2nd in the 2023 world heavyweight champion rankings, so I’ve known him for a while and I’ve seen all his high-profile fights. He’s a substantial, perilous puncher, a giant heavyweight, 180 cm, who can knock out and has a good right hand. He doesn’t have the best footwork in the world, but not many heavyweight giants do, but he he’s substantial, powerful and can play.”
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Boxing
Joshua vs Fury Confirmed for December 11 in Cardiff on Netflix
Published
2 hours agoon
September 24, 2026
Principality Stadium secures the British heavyweight fight, with a London press conference next week and the undercard to follow.
Anthony Joshua (30-4, 27 KOs) and Tyson Fury (36-2-1, 25 KOs) will fight at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Friday, December 11. Netflix will broadcast the full event exclusively after organizers secured a British venue for the heavyweights’ first professional meeting.
Turki Alalshikh announced the fight, and Joshua and Fury are scheduled to attend a London press conference next week. The supporting card will be announced later; no undercard opponents were named in the supplied announcement.
The December date replaces the November plan discussed earlier in negotiations. Wembley had been Joshua’s preferred destination, but Cardiff secured the event following talks over whether the fight would remain in Britain or move to the United States.
Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn insisted on a UK venue. His contract included that requirement, and their position held despite discussions involving New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
Dana White said: “For more than a decade, boxing fans have been clamoring for the heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. Together, they bring 66 wins, 52 knockouts and multiple heavyweight world titles into the ring. On December 11, two of the biggest heavyweights of this generation finally collide and the winner will take a significant place in heavyweight history.”
Netflix to broadcast the full Cardiff card
Netflix’s preference for an evening American broadcast drove the push to stage the fight across the Atlantic. Madison Square Garden emerged as the leading US option before negotiations returned to Britain.
Cardiff keeps the contest on British soil, with a late opening bell expected to accommodate viewers in the United States.
The main event is expected around 1 a.m. UK timealthough the exact time has not been confirmed. If that schedule holds. A 1 a.m. GMT start would put the main event at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, December 11 for viewers on America’s east coast.
The fight is expected to take place beneath Principality Stadium’s retractable roof.
London press conference scheduled for next week
Alalshikh welcomed the agreement after months of negotiations over the event.
“Two of the best heavyweights of this generation, finally in the ring together. This will be one of the biggest fights in boxing history, I am very happy to make this fight happen for the fans,” he said.
Joshua and Fury previously signed a two-fight agreement in 2021. That booking collapsed after an arbitration ruling required Fury to face Deontay Wilder again.
Their December meeting now has a confirmed date, venue and broadcaster. Next week’s press conference will bring both fighters to London, with the remaining card and precise event timetable still to follow.

About the author
Boxing 24/7 Wire
Boxing247.com is an independent boxing news publication covering the sport since 2001. It provides original reporting, fight analysis, schedules, results, and informed coverage of major fighters and events worldwide, backed by more than 25 years of professional boxing journalism.
Boxing
Manny Pacquiao and Shakur Stevenson Discuss Potential Fight in Cardiff
Published
7 hours agoon
September 24, 2026
Manny Pacquiao against Shakur Stevenson remains under discussion for the proposed Anthony Joshua-Tyson Fury card in Cardiff. It would give the event a second major fight, but neither Pacquiao nor Stevenson has received a bout agreement.
BoxingScene’s Lance Pugmire reports that two people connected to the talks say Netflix wants the matchup as part of a “double main event.” December 11 is the date under consideration at Principality Stadium, with December 18 also possible. Pacquiao adviser Jas Mathur told BoxingScene that Pacquiao’s financial terms are still being negotiated.
That leaves a great deal to settle before anyone can call this a fight. The Cardiff show itself has yet to be formally announced, and moving Joshua-Fury from the previously discussed Madison Square Garden setting means assembling the rest of the card around a different venue and date.
Pacquiao-Stevenson would bring two very different attractions to that card. Stevenson, 29, is coming off his January win over Teofimo Lopez and has since signed with Zuffa Boxing. Pacquiao, 47, drew with Mario Barrios in his July 2025 return. His name would draw attention far beyond the usual boxing audience, though the long layoff and age difference would become part of the conversation as soon as the fight was announced.
The proposed pairing also raises a practical question: what weight would they fight at? Pacquiao’s return came at welterweight, while Stevenson’s recent work has been at lighter weights. No weight, number of rounds, or title terms have been announced.
For now, the news is that Pacquiao-Stevenson has survived the reported switch to Cardiff and remains in Netflix’s plans, according to BoxingScene. The decisive development would be agreements reaching both fighters. Until then, it belongs on the list of fights being negotiated, rather than the Joshua-Fury undercard.
Pacquiao turns 48 on December 17. If the fight lands on December 18, Shakur would face him one day after his birthday. Pacquiao won his first world title in 1998, before Shakur turned two.
That age difference makes the matchup a hard sell as a competitive fight. If Shakur wins easily, how much credit does he get for beating a man nearly two decades older? If he boxes his way to a quiet decision, Pacquiao’s name may bring viewers to Netflix, but the fight may give them little reason to watch Shakur again.
Pacquiao’s fame can make this a major event. Turning it into a fight that helps Shakur is another matter. First, both men need to agree to terms; neither has received a bout agreement.
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Boxing News 24 Desk
BoxingNews24.com has delivered independent boxing coverage since 2007, including original news, fight analysis, schedules, and results. Our experienced boxing writers cover major fighters and events worldwide, with published content reviewed by editors for accuracy.
Boxing
Teofimo Lopez Set to Defend World Title on Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua Undercard – Boxing News
Published
12 hours agoon
September 23, 2026
Teofimo Lopez has been offered a slot on the Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua card, which is set to take place at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on December 11.
‘The Takeover’ comes off a majority decision victory over Rolando Romero, who he dethroned last month after surviving a genuine scare in round five.
In reality, though, it was a far more convincing win than the scorecards suggested and, despite suffering a one-sided defeat to Shakur Stevenson in January, Lopez proved that he remains a highly-skilled operator at world level.
But while he has expressed an interest in unification matches at 147lbs, particularly one against WBC champion Ryan Garcia, the 29-year-old must first make a mandatory defence and retain his WBA title.
He has, in other words, been ordered to face Jack Catterallwho claimed his WBA ‘Regular’ title by producing arguably a career-best performance to unanimously outpoint Shakhram Giyasov in May.
Lopez, meanwhile, had attempted to swerve his mandatory duty and, according to boxing journalist Dan Rafaelis considering vacating his welterweight belt in pursuit of more lucrative opportunities.
If he is to proceed with the Catterall fight, however, then the three-division world champion could end up featuring on the expected Fury-Joshua card later this year.
Equally, Catterall has taken to social media and acknowledged that, as the champion, Lopez can choose to defend his title on home soil.
“Hey mate [Lopez]you fancy scrapping on the [Fury-Joshua] card? If not don’t worry, I’ll come to America and get my belt. Either way I’ll see you soon champ.”
Hey mate @TeofimoLopez you fancy scrapping on the fury aj card ? If not don’t worry I’ll come to America and get my belt. Either way I’ll see you soon champ 🤝 https://t.co/l6tDpimzE9
— Jack Catterall (@jack_catt93) September 22, 2026
According to WBA president Gilberto Mendoza, both parties have until October 22 to reach an agreement or risk a purse bid hearing being called.
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