Both men will be leaving the ring with heavier pockets this evening.
Tyson Fury and Arslanbek Makhmudov will share the ring tonight at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
As Fury returns to boxing after retiring for the fourth time in January 2025, he is facing off with the 6ft 6in powerhouse in front of 62,000 fans.
‘The Gypsy King’ is looking to get back to winning ways, with a potential showdown against Anthony Joshua still on the horizon later this year.
While a fight with Joshua may not be guaranteed for the 37-year-old, a sizeable payday for fighting Makhmudov is.
The official purse for Fury vs Makhmudov has not been confirmed, although speculation has already spread online.
Reports suggest that Fury will earn approximately £18.8 million for his comeback bout tonight.
That figure marks a significant drop from his previous fight against Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024, when ‘The Gypsy King’ reportedly pocketed around £75 million.
Meanwhile, Makhmudov is set to earn a career-high purse of around £2 million.
The Russian’s payday represents a major step up from the £260,000 he earned for his win over Dave Allen in October 2025.
What has been said?
Tyson Fury is hoping to deliver an impressive performance tonight following his 16-month hiatus.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “It’s just doing what I already did in the past but bringing different stuff back to life that I haven’t been doing lately – if a 37-year-old Tyson Fury can do what a 27-year-old Tyson Fury did back in the day.
“And so I’m really putting things together, honestly.
“I want a brutal knockout over Makhmudov.
“It’s going to be fun.”
Makhmudov seems unfazed by the Briton’s ambition, though.
He told The Guardian: “I don’t know how I will beat (Fury), but of course I believe I will win. This guy, he is a legend, one of the best heavyweights in history.
“Tyson Fury is the professor of mind and boxing. A lot of boxing is mental and he is a master. But boxing is also spiritual. I am going to be strong, spiritual and smart.”
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