Tyson Fury, the former heavyweight champion, has announced his return to boxing in 2026, ending his latest retirement. The 37-year-old Briton last fought in December 2024, when he was defeated by unified champion Oleksandr Usyk in their heavyweight rematch. Fury's comeback was widely expected, given his history of reversals. He previously stepped away from boxing after stopping Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium in April 2022, only to return six months later. Queensberry promoter Frank Warren said he expected Fury to fight again. Saudi Arabia powerbroker Turki Alalshikh had reportedly planned for Fury and long-time rival Anthony Joshua to take separate bouts in the Kingdom early in 2026 before finally meeting later in the year. Fury's return to the ring was met with skepticism last year, given his history of reversals. However, speculation over a comeback grew in recent weeks after Fury shared footage of himself training in Thailand alongside South African boxer Kevin Lerena. In a post on Instagram, Fury said: '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 & get paid for it.' Fury has spoken openly about wanting to avenge his defeats by Usyk, who currently holds the WBA (Super), WBC and IBF belt. However, there appears to be limited appetite among fans for a trilogy, while the Ukrainian has indicated he would prefer to defend his titles against Wilder next. One potential route to world-title contention could be a domestic clash with Fabio Wardley, the current WBO champion and another fighter promoted by Warren's Queensberry stable.
