Ranking the 4 Best Opponents for Tyson Fury After Win vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov

Welcome to the Tyson Fury Era, Part 6.

The oft-retired "Gypsy King" returned to the ring yet again on Saturday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, where he dispatched Russian-born strongman Arslanbek Makhmudov by unanimous decision.

The win, his first since late 2023, was Fury's 35th in 38 career fights and sets him up for a number of main-event possibilities, prompting B/R's combat team to wade in with its Could Be, Probably Will Be, Wish it Would Be, and Break the Internet filters.

Take a look at what we came up with and drop a thought in the app comments.

Who It Could Be: Martin Bakole

Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP

Martin Bakole

Ever hear the phrase "The squeaky wheel gets the grease"?

If so, you might lean in Martin Bakole's direction on this one.

The Congolese power hitter arrived to the heavyweight division's main room thanks to a 10-fight win streak in which he rattled off eight KOs, but his roll was slowed 15 months ago when ex-title claimant Joseph Parker dumped him in two rounds.

He's fought just once since and recently took to social media to suggest his promotional outfit was trying to ruin his career, which brought the predictable damage-controlling response that the entity—British-based Boxxer—is still working to secure the best possible opportunities for the 34-year-old.

What better way to show it than chasing a date with Fury, who could make a statement by jumping straight from Makhmudov to Ring Magazine's sixth-ranked big man.

If Ben Shalom is serious about Bakole, it's his first Sunday phone call.

Who It Probably Will Be: Anthony Joshua

Giorgio VIERA / AFP via Getty Images

With all due respect to Bakole and Boxxer and Ben Shalom, this seems locked in.

Probably.

Though nothing is signed, both Fury and Anthony Joshua have gone public with a desire to finally consummate a competitive relationship that's been brewing since they first shared space as heavyweight title claimants a decade ago.

Fury's Saturday victory cleared his final perceived hurdle and now it's up to Joshua whether he'll go through with an interim fight this summer or head straight to his British rival having last been in the ring with Jake Paul in December.

Needless to say, his would-be foe hopes it's the latter.

"I think we should get this fight on as soon as possible, in case something happens in between," Fury said at his final pre-Makhmudov media gathering. "The problem is, in heavyweight boxing, anything can go wrong, there are no easy fights. And if you get knocked upside down, it's finished, it's done.

"I want the fight next and I am sure that AJ feels the same."

Who We Wish It Would Be: Fabio Wardley

James Chance/Getty Images

Fabio Wardley

This is boxing. And Fury knows it.

Which means he's well aware that any number of obstacles—from injuries to negotiating haggles to surprise losses—can pop up between he and Joshua.

So it's nice to have a Plan B. Especially if that Plan B has a title belt.

The WBO bauble draped across Wardley's shoulder since last fall makes him a viable target for an ex-champ looking for a third title reign. And given that Wardley has had just 21 pro fights and only one truly significant win—against the aforementioned Joseph Parker in October—it's no stretch to think Fury gets it done.

Wardley, in fact, is expecting his name to be in Fury's mouth soon.

"I never actually expected Fury to stay retired. It's great to have him back, active, posting on Instagram, doing his shout-outs and whatever he does," Wardley said. "I didn't really feel like he was gone, more that he was just taking a break, as he does. When he said he was retired, I thought: 'We'll see you in a year.'"

What Would Break the Internet: Moses Itauma

Richard Pelham/Getty Images

He's a young KO artist. But we'll not suggest he's another Mike Tyson.

Nevertheless, we B/R combat types are pretty jazzed up about Moses Itauma.

And given that Fury has already faced Oleksandr Usyk twice and no one else in the senior heavyweight set moves the needle all that much, it's this scrap that intrigues us the most.

Just imagine the bandwidth-stretching buildup.

Fury, who's never met a microphone he didn't love, doing his usual pre-fight heel schtick while putting over the 21-year-old babyface who's captivated the modern fan base with 12 KOs in 14 fights—including a recent five-round squash of Jermaine Franklin, who'd gone the distance with Joshua and Dillian Whyte and was coming off a win over Kazakh KO artist Ivan Dychko.

Fury and Itauma, who've sparred together, are both promoted by Frank Warren's Queensbury conglomerate, too, presumably removing much of the typical pre-fight bickering. And Warren is on record saying the kid is ready for the big time.

"I can honestly say at this stage of his career and the age he's at," Warren said, "he's the most impressive heavyweight I've ever been involved with."