Fury beats Makhmudov on return

Fighting for the first time in 16 months, Fury displayed some ring rust but outclassed the Russian 'bear-wrestler' over 12 rounds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Anthony Joshua watched from ringside as Fury dominated the scorecard, though Joshua declined to immediately sign a contract for a future bout.

The victory marks the first successful step in Fury’s latest comeback, which is intended to culminate in a multi-fight deal.

Boxing fans and promoters are now hopeful that the financial and logistical hurdles for a Fury-Joshua showdown can finally be cleared.