Fury demands stoppage as Joseph Parker backs his form ahead of Tottenham comeback fight
Tyson Fury says he wants a knockout win over Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11 as he returns after 16 months out of the ring. The result will shape his position in the heavyweight division following back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk.
Fury has spent camp in Thailand and is aiming to bring back elements from earlier in his career.
“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,” he told Sky Sports.
He made his intention clear when asked about the outcome.
“I want a brutal knockout over Makhmudov. It’s going to be fun.”
Joseph Parker has been working in camp and backed what he has seen in sparring.
“The training here is very difficult and very hard. I’m very happy to be here because I’m actually growing as a fighter myself.
“But to see him perform in the ring against sparring partners and smash everyone up, he caught me with a few shots there as well, it’s very good to see and he is in tip-top shape. I can’t wait to watch him fight.”
Fury also pointed to motivation rather than necessity at this stage of his career.
“When you start out you want to make money, you want to get a house. You want to get all them things. But after all that you do it because you love it.
“I’m in a position where I do it because I love it, not because I have to do it or I chose to do it financially. I do this now because I’m in love with this game passionately. And having 16 months out the ring, having a year away, makes me even more fonder.”
The fight marks Fury’s return after his second loss to Oleksandr Usyk. A win puts him back into the mix at the top end of the division, with future fights tied to how he performs in his first outing back.