Arslanbek Makhmudov, known for bear wrestling, will take on Tyson Fury as the ‘Gypsy King’ returns from retirement – once more

Tyson Fury’s Upcoming Challenge

Tyson Fury is set to make a comeback, and his next opponent is Arslanbek Mahmudov. This fight will take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London on Saturday. It promises to be a challenging matchup.

Mahmudov, who is 36 years old, has a professional record of 21 wins, 2 losses, and 19 knockouts. Earlier this year, a video of him wrestling a bear gained a lot of attention online, showcasing him grappling with the large animal while onlookers captured the moment.

In the 51-second clip, Mahmudov can be seen engaging with the bear multiple times, culminating in him wrapping his arms around its neck. It’s quite a sight, really.

In a viral post on X, Mahmudov commented, “Yes, that’s crazy. Madness is justified when pursuing good goals. The goal was to overcome the fear threshold and learn how to control yourself in critical situations.”

Although he currently resides in Canada, Mahmudov originally comes from Dagestan in Russia, which is known for producing exceptional martial artists.

His bear-wrestling has drawn parallels to the retired UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov, who had an impressive mixed martial arts record of 29-0 and was noted for wrestling cubs at the age of nine.

This 6-foot-6 fighter began his boxing journey with 18 consecutive victories, earning titles like the WBC-NABF, WBA-NABA, and WBA Intercontinental champion.

Nevertheless, Mahmudov has struggled a bit lately, losing two of his last five fights. His recent fights include a surprising fourth-round TKO loss to Ajit Kabayer and another stoppage due to a serious eye injury against Guido Vianello.

On a positive note, Mahmudov bounced back by winning his last two fights, reclaiming the WBA Intercontinental Heavyweight title against David Allen in October last year.

For Fury, this fight marks a return after his retirement in January 2025, which followed two defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.

The 37-year-old boxer has often hinted at retiring but keeps coming back to the ring. It’s kind of unpredictable, really. He previously announced retirement plans after beating Dillian Whyte in April 2022 but returned eight months later for a fight against Derek Chisora.

Fury has made retirement announcements in both 2013 and 2017, but those didn’t last. His current record stands at 34 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw, and 24 knockouts.

This upcoming bout against Mahmudov could potentially lead to a long-awaited superfight with Anthony Joshua. Fury has expressed that if this fight goes well, he’s aiming for a showdown with Joshua next, possibly in September.