Former heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker has weighed in on the upcoming return of his friend and sparring partner Tyson Fury after a lengthy layoff.
Tyson Fury will face Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday, April 11, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, with the bout marking Fury’s return after an extended break. Speaking ahead of the fight, former heavyweight titleholder Joseph Parker said he believes Fury is sharp enough to take control early and get the stoppage.
In an interview with FightHype on YouTube, Parker pointed to what he has seen from Fury in camp and said the former champion appears to be putting in the kind of work needed for a strong comeback. For Fury, this is more than just a return date — it is a chance to reestablish himself in a heavyweight division that has continued to move without him, especially after his two losses to Oleksandr Usyk reshaped the title picture.
“I’ve seen Tyson’s training camp and how hard he’s working,” Parker said. “I don’t think Makhmudov is a walkover, but based on what I’ve seen, I think Tyson stops him within four or five rounds. That’s what I believe. In boxing, though, you can never be 100 percent sure. This could be a banana-skin fight for Fury — Makhmudov can catch him with one shot. It’s heavyweight boxing. You can get clipped in any division, but it really matters up here.”
The matchup carries real stakes beyond the comeback storyline. If Fury looks dominant, he immediately puts himself back into the conversation for another major fight at the top of the division. If he struggles, questions about his timing, durability, and long-term future will only get louder. Makhmudov, meanwhile, has a chance to score the kind of win that would instantly change his standing with American fans and media, who have long viewed him as dangerous but still unproven at the elite level.
The event will stream live on Netflix, and the biggest thing to watch is whether Fury can still dictate the pace against a puncher who only needs one clean opening to change the night.
