The Undisputed

English world-ranked heavyweights Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley faced off again yesterday at a London Bridge venue for the final time before going deep into training camp for their anticipated rematch for the former’s WBO heavyweight world championship.

Their first meeting back in May was a barnstormer and after nine brutal rounds Londoner Dubois left the ring with Wardley’s belt. It was the Ipswich man’s first defeat, and as his right, he invoked the immediate rematch opportunity.

What was more hurtful with his defeat was he’d dropped Dubois twice en-route, but couldn’t seal the deal.

At yesterday’s Queensberry Promotions press conference, the ‘Run It Back’ promotion was officially launched and the event is to be held at the O2 Arena, London on Saturday 17 October.

On the promo it was confidently announced the ‘fight of the year returns’ and it is surely to sell out soon after tickets go on general sale.

In the presser it was evident there was a lot of mutual respect held by each fighter after their brutal first fight, but this was topped by optimism from both combatants of a KO victory.

In a short meeting before the main conference, we asked Dubois (23-3-0, 22 KOs) that other than win again what he proposed to do different to avoid the battle last time out. He replied with confidence “Land the telling blow quicker and earlier”.

At the main dais he substantiated this by saying “Mission accomplished first time…it’s a fresh start for me now, I feel even better. He continued “The game plan last time was to chip away. I’m gonna put things right this time and take him out in style … raise my game”.

Wardley (20-1-1, 19 KOs), after apologising for being a few minutes late, started his response to questions saying he had “Mixed emotions last time” and had “A lot to go home with and chew over” after his tough defeat.

In explaining his approach to the rematch he said “There’s some things we need to adjust and that’s what we worked on in this camp”. This alluded to an already well-advanced training camp with the fight still six weeks away. Both fighters looked in good shape already.

The new challenger continued “I felt a bit too comfortable with the knockdowns” adding he got “trigger happy and carried away – too relaxed and too comfortable”. He didn’t hesitate to take the rematch opportunity and believes that Dubois can’t change his gameplan i.e. a firefight.

New WBO champion Dubois explained his approach for the rematch. “I’ve got to break him down and beat him up”. He aadded “I wanna be the last man standing”. That would point to another slugfest and that’s sure to whet the viewers appetite.

Wardley on being asked on his approach replied “My aim is to right my wrongs and come through on top…I’m great atmaking adjustments…I’m great at adjusting…and win by KO”.

This is sure to be another humdinger and a prediction is difficult at this stage. Look for updates as we approach fightnight.

Tickets go on general sale tomorrow, Friday 4 September.

Chins do matter.

New Croatian-born IBF heavyweight world champion Filip Hrgovic proved this emphatically on Saturday night (29 July) in London when withstanding the onslaught of Moses Itauma over nine rounds to finally prevail.

Pre-fight, Hrgovic the new champion, had emphasised this point when responding to the press protestations and hype around Itauma’s rapid rise through the world rankings to challenge for the vacant title at a packed out O2 Arena on the banks of the River Thames. The 21-year-old from Chatham, Kent (via Slovakia) was perpetual motion throughout eight completed rounds, almost registering a complete shutout, but despite landing some bombs, and often repeatedly, he couldn’t make a concussive dent in the Croatian’s chin over that time.

Hrgovic touched down in the second round but that was the closest he came to showing any weakness.

The meteoric rise of Itauma (14-1, 12 KOs) from World Youth Champion to possibly be the second youngest heavyweight champion in professional boxing history (behind a 20-year-old Mike Tyson in 1986) was incredible. Sadly, for him and his team, he couldn’t finally get over the line on this occasion.

The young-Brit was rescued at 2:29 of round nine by the throwing in of the towel from Ben Davison his trainer in a compassionate attempt to halt proceedings as Itauma was swaying defenceless on the ropes, completely exhausted, and waiting for the Croat’s next assault.

Hrgovic (21-1, 16 KOs) showed heart, resilience and, called on all his experience, both amateur and pro to out-tough the youngster. At 34-years-old this was the zenith of the new champion’s achievement after winning bronze in the 2016 Rio Olympics and fighting all-comers as a pro.

It was a sensational fight that showed the fine lines between heavyweight success and failure, but there were no losers on this night. A captivated crowd of close to 20,000 and those watching pay-per-view on the DAZN streaming platform were entertained royally. Queensberry Promotions and Frank Warren, though disappointed with the outcome (Itauma being ‘their’ fighter), must have been happy with the event and the ‘coming of age’ of a genuine world title contender.

Itauma showed it all at such a young age but unravelled from his ferocity and his willingness to end the fight spectacularly rather than box to an invitable decision win. The term he ‘gassed out’ was cited by the new champion afterwards and repeatedly by the media in summing up the Brit’s performance. He was taken from the ring on a stretcher after the stoppage, hospitalised, but is now happily recovering at home. He will come again to the world title table, all the more experienced and ready after this hurtful night.

The co-feature saw world-ranked lightweight Sam Noakes, also Kent-based, beat former WBO lightweight champion Denys Berinchyk unanimously on points over ten rounds. Noakes extends his impressive record to 19-1, 16 KOs and seeks a second world title shot after losing to WBO champion Abdullah Mason last November in a twelve round ‘firefight’ on a close points decision.

Berinchyk, an experienced Ukrainian London 2012 Olympic silver medallist dropped to 19-2, 9 KOs as pro, and his best days seem behind him.

The night though belonged to new IBF champion Filip Hrgovic and the future looks bright both achievement-wise and financially. The world honours are now again split four ways and unifications await.

Ron Jackson – a living appreciation

What South African boxing historian, correspondent, broadcaster, collector and, number one fan, Ron Jackson doesn’t know about the history of South African boxing either, didn’t happen or, is not worth knowing !

For most of his life, from a young boy to today, his 90th birthday, he’s loved and followed the sport with a passion.

In recent years, he’s taken a back seat as other priorities have taken over (family, health etc’) but he’s never lost that boyish enthusiasm for the sport that he first felt when he used to pop down the road in Johannesburg with his pocket money to pick up his monthly copy of The Ring magazine.

To put into context Ron’s longevity, he was born the year that Adolf Hitler and his Nazi propaganda machine hosted the Berlin Olympic Games and American Jesse Owens stole the show winning four gold medals.

World War II would follow on the turn of decade and many fighters would have to mobilise to war or have their careers seriously interrupted or ended for related reasons.

Ron was captivated by boxing at age 11 when South African light-heavyweight George Hunter won gold at the 1948 London Olympic Games, and with it the Val Barker trophy for best stylist. His country would also top the boxing medal table that year.

In May 1950 South Africa had their first universally recognised world champion in Vic Toweel. A bantamweight from a fighting family that became a South African dynasty and resulted in many future champions and challengers from that sunkissed country. Ron Jackson, still young and only in his teens, would lap it up and from then on be ‘front and centre’ in South African boxing media coverage.

Ron would appear on South African national and cable TV as an expert analyst and record keeper, be a major contributor to The Ring magazine and, edit and contribute to many prestigious long-since retired fight publications in his homeland. He also had a major role in the annual selection of the South African boxer(s) of the year awards, formerly sponsored by King Korn.

His writing zenith was in 2017 by the completion and release of his masterpiece book ‘Champions’ – An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of SA Boxing. This is the definitive reference of all South African fighters and events up to that date.

A very Happy Birthday Ron from this writer and all your fans and readers at The Undisputed. Have a wonderful day and here’s to many more happy and healthy years watching and following the sport you love. We’re privileged to have you in our team and being able to read the stories you share.

Our heartfelt best wishes.

Finally, as a tribute to Ron’s knowledge and boxing journey we have approval to publish his article and view on South Africa’s boxing best:-

South Africa’s Ten Greatest of All Time

In his book “The 100 Greatest Boxers of All Time” Bert Randolph Sugar writes “In the days of Olde”, religious contemplatives were wont to argue over minor points of esoterica, like the number of angels on heads of pins, and other such wonderfulness’s. Boxing contemplatives go through the same .. exercises. Only their arguments centre around the word “Greatest”- as who was the “Greatest” this and the “Greatest” that “.

How do you measure who was the greatest of all time? In the same book Bert Sugar offers the following elements in the making of greatness. Stamina, competition, you have to fight the best to be the best. Another factor is durability, and judgement must be made at a fighter’s peak. Also, there are the old men who talk of the good old days as if the clock has not moved.

The aforementioned factors of greatness mentioned by Bert are all valid and acceptable, but I have the following factors in order to measure greatness; longevity, historical impact, quality of opposition, achievements and talent ratio.

Using these five elements in my formula I will try to rate in order, South Africa’s top ten fighters of the century.

Any form of measurement, is however subjective, but possibly the most asked question by fight fans when they get together is; who was the greatest or could boxer A from 1920 have beaten boxer B from 1960. There will be people out there who will not agree with my list or even express outrage at some of my selections, but anyhow here we go.

After working on a scale of 1 to 10 for each category I have come up with the following list:

1.  Vic Toweel and Brian Mitchell (jointly)

3.  Vuyani Bungu

4.   Willie Toweel

5.   Lawrie Stevens

6.   Gerrie Coetzee

7.   Enoch “Schoolboy” Nhlapo

8.   Baby Jake Matlala

9.   Jake Tuli

10. Dingaan Thobela

Ron will happily tell you about all these fighters. Just drop him a line or pop in for a chat in his nearest coffee shop in the South African Cape.

As he begins his journey to rack up another decade and in cricketing parlance ‘raise his bat’ he’d like nothing more than to ‘chew the fat’ over who really was the greatest boxer.

Happy 90th Ron. Have a great day.

Oddities in the heavyweight championship

In the 1850s and ‘60s the title of “middleweight” began to be used for all men below 156 lbs (70.75kg). Those above this limit were all considered heavyweights.

It was not until the 1880s, after the widespread adoption of the Queensberry rules, that a real effort was made to standardise weight divisions both in England and America.

During 1910 leading authorities got together and agreement was reached on the different divisions from Paperweight 105lbs (47.63kg) to Heavyweight exceeding 175 lbs (79.38kg).

Some of the heaviest men to take part in professional boxing or prize fights were Ewart Potgieter, a South African fighter of the 1950s who weighed 335lbs (152kg) and Charles Freeman an American who fought William Perry in 1842, who weighed in at 320lbs (145.15kg).

Talking of knockdowns, Floyd Patterson was knocked down 16 times during his career as a world champion. Seven times in the first fight with Ingemar Johansson; twice in their third bout, one in the first fight with Sonny Liston, three times in the second bout with Liston; once each in the fights with Pete Rademacher, Tom McNeely and Roy Harris.

When Rademacher, who won the heavyweight Olympic gold medal at the 1956 games, fought Patterson for the heavyweight championship he was making his professional debut.

Nikolay Valuev from Russia who fought from 1993 to 2009 was 2.13m and weighed 146kg, won the WBA version of the heavyweight title when he beat John Ruiz on 1 October 2005.

During 1927 Jack Dempsey knocked Gene Tunney down in the famous long count battle and then failed to go to the neutral corner in terms of the amended rules, the length of the knockdown was timed at 14 seconds by some experts and 16 by others.

There was no official distance for heavyweight title fights during Jack Dempsey’s time. His fight with Jess Willard for the title was scheduled for 12 rounds as was the Georges Carpentier fight.

The Firpo match was scheduled for 15 rounds and both fights with Tunney were over 10 rounds.

Jack Dempsey came within an ace of losing his crown against the Wild Bull of the Pampas Luis Angel Firpo who was a big, rough savage performer. Firpo was floored seven times and Dempsey went down twice in two rounds, before losing to Dempsey.

But in three minutes and fifty seven seconds, Dempsey was knocked clear through the ropes and out of the ring and among much controversy; and it has been reported that had he not been helped by the hands of newspapermen he would not have made it back into the ring in time. However, this has been disputed.

Leon Spinks only held the heavyweight title from 15 February 1978 to 15 September 1978, seven months, the shortest reign in the division, whereas Joe Louis won the title on 22 June 1937 and retired as undefeated world champion after 25 successful defences on 1 March 1949.

He had been at the helm for 11 years eight months, the longest reign in the heavyweight division.

No light heavyweight champion has been successful at winning the undisputed heavyweight title.

The following fighters all failed in their bid; Philadelphia Jack O’Brien, Georges Carpentier, Tommy Loughran, John Henry Lewis, Billy Conn, Joey Maxim, Archie Moore and Bob Foster.

Michael Spinks won the International Boxing Federation version when he defeated Larry Holmes on points over 15 rounds on 21 September 1985.

The quickest knockout in an undisputed heavyweight title fight was when Tommy Burns knocked out Jem Roche in 1 minute 28 seconds in Dublin, Ireland on 17 March 1908.

The official time recorded was one minute when Muhammad Ali stopped Sonny Liston on 25 May 1965 but however, watches synchronised to TV film frames caught Liston down for 1 minute 42 seconds and the fight halted by Jersey Joe Walcott at 2:17.

On 12 October 1982 Michael Dokes stopped Mike Weaver at 1 minute and 3 seconds of the first round to claim the WBA version of the heavyweight title. The stoppage was highly controversial.

The first world heavyweight championship contest to be televised was at Madison Square Garden on 5 December 1947 when Joe Louis retained his title on a split decision against Jersey Joe Walcott.

The largest receipts ever for a heavyweight championship fight at the time was, $4 806 675 at the Superdome New Orleans when Muhammad Ali defeated Leon Spinks in their second fight on 15 September 1978. This was only for the WBA title.

The largest attendance at a world heavyweight title fight was 120 757 when Dempsey lost his title to Gene Tunney in Philadelphia on 23 September 1926.

Jersey Joe Walcott became the oldest man at the time to win the undisputed heavyweight championship when at 37 years and 168 days he won the crown from Ezzard Charles in 1951 on his fifth attempt.

At the age of 45 George Foreman won the WBA and IBF heavyweight titles on 5 November 1994 when he knocked out Michael Moorer in the tenth round.

Referee Arthur Donovan handled 14 undisputed world title fights, with 12 of those when Joe Louis defended his title.

Well, we got there … just.

Saturday’s scare in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for Anthony Joshua, lifting himself up off the canvas twice in the opening round, surviving on shaky legs, and then rallying to dispatch massive underdog Kristian Prenga after 2:43 minutes of the second round, for moments, seriously put the Tyson Fury meeting in jeopardy. Or at least a meeting for anything that had any meaning other than national bragging rights.

That ‘AJ’ was able to rally and prevail after coming through such trauma was in itself a result. He was dropped by a right uppercut within seconds of the opening bell, by an opponent, whilst no one gave a hope beforehand, was at least coming in with a 20-1 (20 KOs) record.

Although touching down for a second time in the opening round, Joshua’s recovery was only remotely complete by the opening bell for the second round. The minute in between rounds was a Godsend and he was helped immensely by Prenga not seizing on his initiative and advantage from the first.

Millions of pounds/dollars were at risk if Prenga had managed to derail the Joshua-Fury match, and maybe disappear up in smoke completely. We can be thankful that wasn’t the case.

The ‘Gypsy King’ Fury had managed to keep his part of the bargain in Pattaya, Thailand a night earlier with a comprehensive, albeit laboured, seventh round stoppage of Mariusz Wach. The Polish warhorse never threatened to win and succumbed between the 7 and 8th round to his round-by-round beat up to then.

We now await the date and venue to the biggest ‘money’ fight in boxing. London should be favourite given the nationality and draw of the protagonists, but an outdoor autumn stadium fight in the UK would tend to lessen the odds. Look to Las Vegas or even Saudi Arabia again being the venue.

Such is the draw of Fury and Joshua in the UK that it has to be a stadium fight, and if that happens, it won’t happen in 2026. Watch this space for further updates. For now, we’re just thankful that it remains a possibility taking place at all.

Are we gonna get it ? And, if we do, is it gonna mean anything outside of the UK and to world boxing ?

These questions are likely to be answered, certainly to a large extent, by the turn of this weekend when British marquee heavyweights and former ‘world’ champions Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, will face far inferior opposition on successive nights in opposite parts of the world, before hopefully facing each other.

First up Friday (24 July), the ‘Gypsy King’ will meet aging Polish warhorse and perennial contender Mariusz Wach in Pattaya, Thailand. Then, next night ‘AJ’ will face undefeated Albanian Kristian Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The aim of both British fighters and their respective promoters is for the former world champions to firstly win, and secondly to look good in doing it. Then, the stage is set, even though we don’t yet know where that will be, and the hype machine will go into full overdrive for the meeting to end all British debates as to who was best – Joshua or Fury.

So what chance do either have of losing ?

The biggest threat for AJ (29-4, 26 KOs) is whether after the tragic circumstances just before Christmas 2025, blessingly surviving a horrific car accident, will play on his mind when facing a motivated adversary for the first time in the square ring.

Prenga (20-1, 20 KOs) does have some credentials to potentially cause the never always ‘iron-chinned’ Joshua problems. The downside is that the Albanian has never fought in such esteemed company and certainly not on a promotion of this magnitude with jeopardy attached.

If Joshua, aged 36, and having not boxed professionally since December 2025 can ‘exorcise the demons’ and start in a composed way, we expect his class to overwhelm the 35-year-old Prenga, sometime around the sixth. Joshua could get clipped, which may render any prediction foolish, but we don’t see this happening.

Tyson Fury, at near 38, has only been out of the ring since April, registering a unanimous points win over against Russian giant Arslanbek Mahkmudov.

Poland’s Wach, 46-years-old, and with a 39-13 (20 KOs) record is coming to his inevitable end as a fighter, but has always been durable, eventually folding when in top company. He will likely be on the back foot from the opening bell and boredom will then be the challenge for Fury (and any watching audience !).

We expect the former two-time ‘lineal’ world heavyweight champion Fury (35-2-1, 24 KOs), to exhibit all his boxing skills and secure a mid-round stoppage too.

These contests will only serve to shake the ‘ring-rust’ off both elite fighters and then it should be full steam ahead to certainly the British boxing event of the decade. The significance to the world stage and any championship challenge pecking order will unfold in due course.

The Joshua-Prenga fight is available as a pay-per-view event on the DAZN platform, and Fury-Wach not being transmitted to date.

World ranked Ryan Garner convincingly won the WBC interim super-featherweight (130lbs/9st, 4lbs) championship at a packed out St Mary’s stadium, home of Southampton Football Club, Saturday night (20 June).

On the announcement of the unanimous points victory (116-112, 118-110 & 119-109) ‘The Piranha’ was ecstatic in front of his local friends and family and fellow supporters of this beloved home club. This puts the 28-year-old in pole position to either, challenge current champion O’Shaquie Foster or, be elevated to full champion from his interim status.

In a hard fought contest against tough Italian Michael Magnesi, in the early rounds pounding each other with repeated hooks whilst they stood head-on-head and exchanged blow-for-blow it looked like the fight could’ve been held in a phone booth. To this writer it brought back memories of a world classic of yesteryear in Jeff Fenech v Azumah Nelson I.

The fighters eventually stepped back from each other as the rounds progressed but the intensity of the battle remained.

Amazingly, there were no knockdowns but this was more the result of their durability than lack of punching power. Both entered the contest with 50% KO records and their toughness was to be commended.

Garner increased his record to 20-0 (10 KOs) and Magnesi dropped to 26-3 (13 KOs).

The packed card also saw local light-heavyweight Lewis Edmondson (12-1, 3 KOs) win a wide unanimous 10-round points decision over former British and IBO ‘world’ champion Lyndon Arthur (25-4, 16 KOs). The scorecards were not a total reflection of the fight, being overly generous to ‘The Saint’ Edmondson, but he clearly won from is switch-hitting style and always keeping himself way out of reach with his superior footwork from the advancing Arthur. There were plenty of hard exchanges and power shots landed by the homefighter, but his boxing IQ was the main determining factor.

There were also good wins for Bradley Goldsmith (16-1, 10 KOs) who defeated Brad Pauls (21-3-1, 12 KOs) on a unanimous points decision at middleweight, and gained the IBF international title in another competitive attritional contest. Super-middleweight prospect Taylor Bevan (9-0, 8 KOs) also extended his unbeaten record in beating Ryszard Lewicki on a majority decision. There was also a second win at heavyweight for Irishman Adam Olaniyan who bombed out Viktar Chvarkou in two rounds.

The night though belonged to ‘The Piranha’ Garner and a full world title awaits whether elevated or challenging the current American champion. Queensberry Promotions head Frank Warren has promised he will attempt to deliver a further contest at St Mary’s stadium after Saturday’s impressive show and turnout.

It will take the appearance of a ‘born and bred’ local lad to lift the gloom that’s hovered over Southampton, England for the last six weeks. The city has been in the news for two notable high profile stories.

First, on a sporting front, the ‘Spygate’ saga where Southampton Football Club were found guilty of spying on their opponent’s training sessions to gain pre-match advantage, and subsequently punished. Then, some major social unrest over a sad and much publicised fatality in the city, resulting in public protest and disruption. The world-famous port could certainly do with a good news story !

World ranked junior-lightweight Ryan Garner (19-0, 10 KOs) could provide that much-needed fillip if he emerges victorious from his 9st, 4lbs (130lbs) contest against tough Italian Michael Magnesi (26-2, 13 KOs) at Southampton FC St Mary’s stadium tomorrow night.

It will be the first ever boxing event at the stadium and is sure to be well attended given the top billing of the home fighter and his affiliation to his local football club. He will be joined on the bill by local friend Lewis Edmondson (11-1, 3 KOs) who’s in a quality match against former British champion and perennial light-heavyweight (12st, 7lbs/175lbs) ‘gatekeeper’ Lyndon Arthur (25-3, 16 KOs).

A football-like atmosphere, as is common in recent British boxing events, is likely to be in evidence.

These are however both quality match-ups which are sure to be competitive and entertain the live and DAZN audience.

The main event is for the WBC ‘interim’ super-featherweight championship. The current champion O’Shaquie Foster is temporarily unable to defend his ‘world’ title and some expect him to move up a division and therefore vacate at 130lbs. This increases the jeopardy and reward from winning on Saturday.

‘Piranha’ Garner has turned his career around after having some criminal charges resulting from driving under the influence near a decade ago. Despite this distraction he returned to boxing and has remained undefeated and now British and Commonwealth and a former European champion. He’s ranked #8 by The Ring magazine and on the cusp of a world title.

Magnesi has fought at a high level and lost a split points decision to current WBA champion Anthony Cacace in 2022. He will look to take the fight to Garner and the homeboy will likely happily oblige with his vociferous fanbase egging him on. We expect a Garner victory by stoppage in rounds 8-10.

The Edmondson-Arthur fight will be a bit more circumspect with a little more caution shown by both fighters. The Manchester fighter, Arthur, has fought at world-level with lots of experience to draw upon and this will enable him to pace himself accordingly. It’s bit of a ‘pick-ems’ but again with home support we expect Edmondson to win a close points decision.

Enjoy what’s promising to be a good night of boxing.

So, the dust has finally settled on last Saturday’s (11 April) big
heavyweight headliner at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium,
London, England.

The Tyson Fury unanimous points victory over a game, but
outgunned Arslanbek Makhmudov, was followed by the well
documented verbal exchange between his British and world
nemesis Anthony Joshua. We felt the spectator outsmarted
the victorious ‘Gypsy King’.

Meanwhile, unified world heavyweight champion Oleksandr
Usyk prepares for, and tries to justify his ‘exhibition’ against
former kickboxing world champion Rico Verhoeven in the
shadow of the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt on 23 May.

Surely a fight for money and world heritage kudos rather
than any historical legacy boxing achievement.

Our feeling though is the Ukrainian has deserved this sabbatical.

Other world ranked heavyweights Justis Huni and Moses
Itauma raised their stock in recent weeks and were joined by
Richard Riakporhe, who gained the British heavyweight title.

Another Brit, Lawrence Okolie (former bridgerweight and
cruiserweight ‘world’ champion), prepares to challenge 2016
Rio Olympic gold medallist Tony Yoka in Paris, France (25
April).

Then, on 9 May in Manchester, England, current WBO
heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley makes his first
defence against fellow Brit and former IBF champion Daniel
Dubois.

The latter two should be good matches and when this
heavyweight summer season ends what can we expect ?

Rumour is that Joshua will have a tune-up fight in July prior
to, if victorious, finally signing to meet Fury.

Meanwhile, Fury is indicating an unacceptance of a Joshua
tune-up. Money as ever will talk.

The heavyweights are surely in the news and they say ‘As
they go, so goes boxing’. Stay tuned.

Tonight at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England two-time lineal World Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury returns from fifteen month’s inactivity and, a fifth ‘retirement’ ! He will face Russian man-mountain Arslanbek Makhmudov (21-2, 19 KOs).

The comebacking ‘Gypsy King’ (34-2-1, 24 KOs) was his usual witty-self in Thursday’s (April 9) London press conference at which, despite tickets moving, were stated as ‘still’ being on sale throughout the proceedings. The ‘few’ tickets were mentioned by compere Michael Buffer and others on the dais beforehand.

The inevitable questions are; does Fury still have it ? and, are the public interested anymore ?

In the launch press conference some months ago, despite claims by Fury that boxing needs him, does it really ? The sluggish ticket sales since are indication of gathering boxing disinterest in him, if not, the challenge that he’s picked here. He remains a personality and reality TV star but does his main profession simply serve to back it up.

Like in all walks of life, world boxing moves on and the heavyweight division is currently one of intrigue with undoubted king Oleksandr Usyk effectively a champion in-recess, and others (Fabio Wardley, Ajit Kabayel, Moses Itauma) lining up to challenge for his crown at his next whim.

The world sanctioning bodies have given the Ukrainian ample time to recover from his most recent injury and although he has a mid-summer contest against a kick-boxer in Egypt, it’s not really a legitimate defence of his titles. More a money making and freakshow enterprise.

When Usyk finally returns to proper Queensberry rules challenges, he will see the contenders are lining up, with either Fury or Makhmudov also joining the queue.

The 37-year-old Fury returns to fighting in the UK, his last being December 2022 against fellow Brit Dereck Chisora, at the very same 64,000 capacity Tottenham stadium.

There’s a stacked undercard featuring welterweight Conor Benn against former 140lb (11st) ‘world’ champion Regis Prograis, and at heavyweight, new British champion Jamie TKV against former cruiserweight Richard Riakporhe plus, comebacking Team GB Olympic medallist Frazer Clarke facing Australia’s only once beaten Justis Huni.

All three fights are well matched and the results will have some future title significance.

As for the main event; it’s possible that Fury’s layoff could be telling and he never re-captures the slick boxing and form that we’ve come to know. He’s claimed that with Makhmudov’s size and lack of movement he “won’t be able to miss him” but, the 6 foot 5 Russian, insists he’s coming “to WIN”.

Thirteen of 36-year-old Makhmudov’s nineteen KOs have been in the first round, albeit against significantly inferior opposition. His last fight in front of 10,000 in Sheffield, England was against popular Brit fighter Dave Allen. He won that over twelve messy rounds to get his big opportunity tonight.

The event is bankrolled by streaming giant Netflix, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and promoted by The Ring magazine. It will possibly have the biggest ever global reach being live and exclusive on Netflix.

It’s supported by Frank Warren’s Queensberry who promote Fury, and has BOXXER fighters also on the card.

Ultimately, come the final bell of Fury-Makhmudov, we’ll know more about what Fury has left and, if the Russian is now in the bigger picture or simply fades into the division. We figure, unless Fury has deteriorated considerably that he will win by an, at-times rocky, but clear decision. The Russian can bang but his lack of movement and intensity may be his ultimate downfall. Fury’s nine inch reach advantage may be a key factor as he jabs his way to an expected victory.

With that eventuality, it’s ‘full on’ for the long awaited Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua fight, rather than a further attempt by either at divisional supremo Oleksandr Usyk. Both have two losses to him.

Enjoy tonight and let the all-Brit hype really begin !