Tyson Fury returns with unanimous points win over Makhmudov and wants Joshua next

[Luca76]

Tyson Fury returns with unanimous points win over Makhmudov and wants Joshua nextwww.theguardian.com

Fury got the win over Arslanbek Makhmudov and immediately turned the focus toward Anthony Joshua, which tells you where the real value is now. The performance itself seemed more about proving he can still operate at top level after time away, but the post-fight callout is what kept the story moving

[Matt_81]

That fight sells itself no matter how many times it nearly falls apart

[Highland Fatima]

At this point people just want contracts signed before getting excited

[Undertaker92]

Good shout. Ha, yeah that is about right.

The obvious answer is usually not wrong, it is just incomplete.

Proper useful that.

Momentum is real and it is the thing that is hardest to quantify.

[HeartbreakKidCurtis18]

Spot on. Nice one.

The difference between the top sides at this level is smaller than the league table makes it look

[William]

The Joshua fight makes sense because Fury now has a win under his belt without taking huge punishment, and the size, experience and rivalry give it a much bigger story than another tune-up. The question is whether this version of Fury can still make Joshua work at a pace he dislikes. If Fury boxes patiently and leans on his jab and movement, he can make it awkward; if he stands in range too long, Joshua has enough power to turn the whole night around very quickly.

[NightCrawler]

There is a strong argument for Joshua being the favourite going in, particularly if Fury looked slower than his best against Makhmudov. Joshua has shown he can fight behind a disciplined jab and put combinations together when opponents give him the target. Fury's advantage is his awkwardness and ability to make a fight ugly, so I would not be surprised if the scorecards ended up being much closer than people expect.

[Elk31]

Joshua is probably the cleaner puncher, but Fury is the harder puzzle. That distinction could decide everything. If Joshua can keep Fury at the end of his punches, he has a clear route to winning; if Fury starts changing rhythm, clinching intelligently and dragging Joshua into uncomfortable exchanges, suddenly the technical advantage becomes much less obvious. Either way, this is far more intriguing than another predictable mismatch.

[ReplyGuy26]

A unanimous decision over Makhmudov is useful, but Joshua is a completely different examination. Makhmudov brings obvious physical danger, whereas Joshua has the combination of timing, straight punching and experience to punish mistakes. Fury will need more than simply being the bigger man. Still, if he has regained his confidence and conditioning, I would give him a real chance in a tactical fight rather than writing him off.

[Phoenix]

This one has been talked about for so long that actually getting them in the ring would feel slightly surreal The Makhmudov win gives Fury a useful platform, but Joshua should demand a much higher level of performance. At this stage neither man can afford a flat showing, and that pressure might be what makes the fight genuinely compelling.

[Hyperdrive71]

The result against Makhmudov should not be overanalysed either way. A comeback fight is partly about getting rounds, rebuilding timing and finding out what your body feels like under pressure. Fury got through it and called for the biggest domestic fight available, which is a sensible next step. Whether he has enough left to beat Joshua is the much more interesting question.