Tyson Fury vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov Judges' Scorecards, Punch Stats and Prize Money

Tyson Fury made a successful return to the ring Saturday with a unanimous decision victory against Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England.

After the bout, Netflix announced that the long-anticipated matchup between Fury and Anthony Joshua is in the works.

Fury got off to a slow start, seemingly giving the first round to his opponent. He didn't put forth much volume and backed up in straight lines, leaving himself vulnerable to Makhmudov's power punches. 

The favorite started looking sharper in the second round. He landed some crisp counters and showed he was getting dialed in. 

Makhmudov continued to lumber forward, but his punches were too telegraphed to find Fury's chin for the most part. The Brit kept moving and countering as he built a bigger lead on the scorecards. 

Fellow British heavyweight star Anthony Joshua was spotted filming the fight on his phone. He saw Makhmudov's wild punches find air while Fury was much more accurate. 

By the middle rounds, Fury was on cruise control. He was in control of the bout and rarely in any danger thanks to his body work slowing down Makhmudov. 

CompuBox provided some context for Fury's exceptional body punching:

The fight might have been short on drama, but it didn't leave doubt that Fury is still capable of putting together a strong 12-round performance. He didn't fade down the stretch of the fight and he was never in real danger despite real power from Makhmudov. 

Fury was making his first appearance in the ring since December 2024 when he lost his second consecutive fight to Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship.

That prompted a retirement from The Gypsy King, but his departure from the sport didn't stick. He not only returned for this fight against Makhmudov, but has an even bigger name in mind for his next bout.

"If it happens, great, if it doesn't happen, also great," Fury told BBC Radio 5 Live (h/t Kal Sajad of BBC Sport). "I've got Arslanbek Makhmudov to think of on Saturday night, but all going well [Joshua is] the fight I want next."

Of course, Fury can't fully commit to saying the fight has to happen. A fight of that magnitude is bound to come with a lot of negotiation about how the purse will be split.

Fury reportedly made £18.8 million for his bout with Makhmudov. A bout against Joshua would likely see him earn significantly more.  

Joshua and Fury have circled each other's orbits for most of their careers, but a bout between the British stars has never materialized. Despite both holding belts simultaneously, both parties were unable to come to an agreement on a fight.

Now, with both in the twilight of their career, we might be able to witness the two share a ring.

Fury would have a hard time selling a trilogy fight with Usyk after back-to-back losses. Joshua bounced back from a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois with a knockout victory over Jake Paul.

Time is certainly running out for Joshua and Fury to meet before one of them actually retires for good.