TLDR
- Tyson Fury is training in Thailand for a 2026 comeback after retiring in January 2025 following two losses to Oleksandr Usyk
- USBA heavyweight champion Brandon Moore has been formally offered as a potential opponent through his promoter Dmitriy Salita
- Russian heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov appears to be the frontrunner for Fury’s tune-up fight according to manager Spencer Brown
- Fury plans to fight before April ends with talk of a bigger summer bout, possibly three fights total in 2026
- Anthony Joshua was considered for a major fight but his future remains uncertain following a tragic car crash in Nigeria
Sources: Stadium Nest | Seconds Out | Boxing Scene
Tyson Fury is preparing for his return to boxing in 2026, with two heavyweight contenders emerging as top candidates for his comeback fight. The former world champion is currently training in Thailand alongside boxer Kevin Lerena after reversing his retirement decision six months ago.
Fury retired from boxing in January 2025 after suffering back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk. However, the 37-year-old British fighter announced plans to return to the ring before the end of April 2026.
Brandon Moore Gets Formal Offer
USBA Heavyweight Champion Brandon Moore has been formally offered as an opponent for Fury’s comeback through his promoter Dmitriy Salita. Moore holds a record of 19 wins and one loss, with 10 victories by knockout.
“Brandon Moore is the USBA Heavyweight Champ, coming off three straight wins against undefeated fighters,” Salita told Sky Sports. “He’s a real American heavyweight—6’6″, 240-250 pounds, strong, and getting better every fight.”
Moore’s path to boxing was unusual. He played college basketball at Southeastern University in Florida before transferring to Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, where he earned a degree in accounting and finance in 2016.
He worked as an accountant before stepping into a boxing gym for the first time in 2018. By 2019, Moore had quit his accounting job to pursue boxing full-time, turning professional in 2020.
Moore’s only loss came against Richard Torrez Jr., who remains undefeated. Since that defeat in May 2024, Moore has won five consecutive fights.
His younger brother, Shaq Moore, plays professional soccer for FC Dallas and has represented the US national team over 20 times. Shaq scored the fastest goal in Gold Cup history at just 20 seconds against Canada.
Tyson Fury has confirmed his return the ring in 2026 👊😤 WHO do you want to see him fight? 👀#TysonFury #boxing #dazn pic.twitter.com/4TInaAzpQf
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) January 4, 2026
Makhmudov Emerges As Frontrunner
Despite Moore’s formal offer, Russian heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov appears to be leading the race for Fury’s first fight back. Fury’s manager Spencer Brown told iFL TV that Makhmudov is “one of the front-runners” and confirmed he is “an option.”
Fury’s promoter Frank Warren also mentioned Makhmudov when discussing potential opponents. “He’s a very smart guy. He knows what he wants and how to get there,” Warren told Box Nation. “Maybe we can go with Makhmudov. We’ll see.”
Makhmudov spoke to Boxing King Media about the potential fight. “I hear nothing just I see some time people talking, I think it’s just like people talking,” he said. “But of course, if you ask me, of course, I want this fight, which is for me a dream fight because Tyson Fury is one of the best heavyweights in history I think, for me.”
The Russian fighter last competed in October, defeating veteran David Allen by decision. However, before that victory, Makhmudov suffered a stoppage loss to Agit Kabayel.
Brown explained that Fury needs a tune-up fight after being out of the ring for more than a year. “He’s been out a year. He needs a fight to get going first,” Brown said.
The manager expressed interest in holding Fury’s first fight in Manchester as a homecoming event. After the initial bout, Fury is expected to pursue bigger opportunities throughout 2026.
Talk of a fight between Fury and Anthony Joshua has circulated, but Joshua’s future remains uncertain. The British heavyweight was involved in a tragic car crash in Nigeria that killed two of his close friends, Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami.
Joshua’s uncle told Nigerian press that Joshua might walk away from boxing following the incident. If Joshua continues his career, a fight with Fury could still happen later in 2026.
Fury has also been linked to a potential WBO title bout against Fabio Wardley later this year. His camp is planning a busy schedule with possibly three fights in 2026.
Fury confirmed on January 13, 2026, that he is officially back in training. He has been posting daily updates on social media showing his preparation work in Thailand, including training runs and strength exercises.
