LONDON, ENGLAND – February 16, 2026 – Today at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, unbeaten WBC heavyweight world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs) and fearsome knockout artist Arsalanbek Makhmudov (21-2, 19 KOs) came face to face at the press conference ahead of their blockbuster showdown on Saturday, April 11. The highly anticipated heavyweight clash, promoted by The Ring, will take place at the iconic North London venue and stream live, globally only on Netflix at no additional cost.
Hosted by Josh Denzel and featuring Ring Magazine CEO Rick Reeno, the fighters had plenty to say at the press conference about their upcoming matchup. See quotes below and view the full press conference on Netflix’s YouTube and Ring Magazine’s YouTube.
Tickets for the event will go on sale Tuesday, February 17 via Ticketmaster. Additionally, visit the official Netflix page and click ‘Remind Me’ to ensure you’re notified on April 11 when the action begins.
TYSON FURY QUOTES
On why he is returning to boxing: I came back for one reason only and that’s to make boxing great again. Since I retired for the fifth time over a year ago, boxing for me has gone on a downward slope. It’s become quite boring and boxing is at its maximum potential when Tyson Fury’s actively fighting….so believe it and I’m coming back to make boxing great again.
On facing the dangerous Makhmudov: If I fight a pudding, I don’t get turned on by that. I have to fight somebody dangerous to make me want to even train, make me want to even take it seriously. So now I know I’ve got a dangerous knockout artist in front of me… I’m looking forward to coming here putting on a real show at Tottenham. And most of all, I’m looking forward to punching his face right in.
On the “Turning Point” for his return: I suppose the biggest turning point in this comeback, for me, was a tragedy that happened with Anthony Joshua. I was on holiday with my family in Thailand for Christmas just to get away from the rain, and then I hear all that bad news that’s gone on and I thought, you know what? Life is very, very short and very precious and very fragile and anything could happen at any given moment and you should never put things off until tomorrow or next year or next week because tomorrow is not promised to nobody.
On Training in Thailand vs. the UK: When I’m in Thailand and I wake up and it’s 30 degrees outside, I’m like, this is awesome. Let me go. Training [in] sunshine is the key. And if you wake up in the rain, you feel shit. And if you wake up in the sunshine you feel happy. And I want to feel happy.
On His Critics: Does the lion care about the opinions of sheep? No, he doesn’t. Who cares? I read a quote on Instagram recently and it said, does the honeybee waste his time telling their flies that their honey is better than cow shit? He doesn’t. He just lets ’em crack on with it. And that’s what I do. I crack on with my own business….I’m not anything but a fighter. And that’s what I’ll always be. And that’s why I’m back again, sticking in my own lane and doing what I always do.
On his official prediction: Probably a big right hand KO….Round six, why not? Sounds like a good even number.
ARSLANBEK MAKHMUDOV QUOTES
On the opportunity to fight a legend: For me it’s dream fight. All my life, I go for my goal. My parents told me… when I was nine years old… you’re going to be champion world. So I just follow my goals and enjoy this time now and enjoy my trip to this goal. I’m looking forward to April 11 to reach my goal.
On whether Fury is overlooking him: I believe when we took a picture almost 10 [years] ago, it was like signal from God for this day going to be happen. One day I going to meet with this guy and beat him. That’s my goal and I believe God prepared this for me.
On his strategy for the fight: I don’t know what’s going to happen for the fight, but of course we will prepare for all distances.
About Ring Magazine:
Since its acquisition by His Excellency Turki Alalshikh in November 2024, The Ring has entered a new era, reinforcing its status as boxing’s most legendary and authoritative voice.
The magazine has showcased many of the sport’s biggest fights and most iconic moments, most recently Shakur Stevenson vs Teofimo Lopez at a sold out Madison Square Garden, British boxing’s most talked about match-up between Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn, as well as the legacy-defining showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford in Las Vegas, often described as “the fight of the century.”
The Ring delivers world-class global coverage with unrivaled access to boxing’s top stars. Building on its rich heritage, the magazine continues to document the sport at the highest level whilst shaping the present and preserving the legacy of boxing.
About Netflix:
Netflix is one of the world’s leading entertainment services offering TV series, films, games and live programming across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.
About Tottenham Hotspur Stadium:
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium opened in April 2019 – with a capacity of 62,850, it is the largest club football stadium in London. Its iconic, single-tier South Stand alone holds 17,500 spectators and is the largest of its kind in the UK, providing a wall of noise that contributes to the stadium’s unique atmosphere. The stadium is renowned for its multi-use capabilities, with the world’s first dividing, retractable grass surface providing the ability to host a range of major events all year round, in addition to Tottenham Hotspur matches. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has been confirmed as a host venue for the UEFA EURO 2028 in the UK and Ireland.