Former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has announced his return to professional boxing in 2026, a year after retiring from the sport for the fifth time.
Fury made the announcement on Instagram, ending months of speculation after posting several training videos during the festive period.
“2026 is that year. Return of the mac,” Fury wrote. “Been away for a while but I’m back now, 37 years old and still punching. Nothing better to do than punch men in the face & get paid for it.”
The 37-year-old Brit retired in January 2025, one month after suffering his second consecutive points defeat to Oleksandr Usyk. Fury lost twice to the Ukrainian in 2024 in Saudi Arabia and Riyadh, missing the chance to become boxing’s first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis.
Despite the setbacks, Fury remains one of the most accomplished heavyweights of his generation, boasting a professional record of 34 wins, two losses and one draw. He is a two-time world champion, having dethroned Wladimir Klitschko in 2015 and defeated Deontay Wilder in 2020.
Fury is also known for his repeated retirements and comebacks, having previously stepped away from the sport in 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2022, only to return to the ring each time.
A potential third showdown with Usyk would still attract global attention, while a long-anticipated all-British clash with Anthony Joshua had been pencilled in for 2026. However, that bout is now uncertain following a recent car crash involving Joshua that claimed the lives of two close members of his team.
Reacting to the development, Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, said Joshua’s future in boxing remains unclear.
“This is an awful time for everyone involved,” Warren said. “I don’t even know if he will ever have the appetite to fight again or if he will ever fight again. Only time will tell.”
Fury also sent his condolences to Joshua, writing on social media: “This is so sad. May God give them a good bed in heaven.”
With his latest announcement, Fury appears set for yet another comeback, as he eyes a return to the ring and a possible bid to become a three-time heavy
weight world champion.