Not to overlook Arslanbek Makhmudov, but Tyson Fury will feel like he has bigger fish to fry as he prepares to return to the boxing ring next month.

With Fury vs Makhmudov odds firmly in the Gypsy King’s favour, attention is already turning to what a successful comeback could unlock.

Fury himself has made no secret of his ambitions, recently outlining his perfect 2026: beat Makhmudov, beat Anthony Joshua, then win back a world title. So, who could be next?

Fabio Wardley

The WBO heavyweight champion is a compelling domestic option. Wardley announced himself on the world stage in October 2025 when he came from behind to stop Joseph Parker in the 11th round at the O2 Arena, winning the WBO interim title in one of the year’s most dramatic heavyweight bouts.

He was subsequently elevated to full champion after Usyk relinquished the belt, and he now defends it against Daniel Dubois in May. Fury has publicly flagged the fellow Frank Warren fighter as a good option for a second fight in 2026, and the Ipswich native is keen to make it happen, too.

Daniel Dubois

Should Dubois win the WBO title by beating Wardley, he would slot straight into that conversation. Fury has mentioned Dubois by name as one of the big fights available to him, and the credentials are there.

Dubois won the IBF heavyweight title by beating Filip Hrgovic for the vacant belt, before being elevated to the full champion. He then retained it by knocking out Joshua, only to lose it back to former owner Oleksandr Usyk. A Fury vs Dubois fight would carry genuine intrigue.

Anthony Joshua

This is the fight that British boxing has craved for the best part of a decade. Fury has named Joshua as part of his ideal 2026 schedule, and promoter Warren has confirmed there is serious intent on both sides.

However, Joshua’s future is far from certain following a devastating car crash in Nigeria in December 2025, in which two of his closest friends and training team members, strength and conditioning coach Sina Ghami and trainer Latif Ayodele, were tragically killed. Joshua sustained minor injuries, but the emotional toll has cast doubt over when, or whether, he will return to the ring.

Oleksandr Usyk

The fight that Fury ultimately wants above all others is a third meeting with Usyk, the man who beat him twice in 2024. Fury and his team insist he was unfortunate to lose both decisions, and a trilogy fight would be one of the biggest events in modern heavyweight history.

Usyk currently holds three of the four major world titles and remains the undisputed king of the division. Boxing betting markets would make Usyk a strong favourite for a third bout, but Fury’s belief in his ability to reverse those verdicts appears genuine.

First, though, the Ukrainian is set to face kickboxer Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt on May 23, where his WBC heavyweight title will be controversially on the line first.

Deontay Wilder

A fourth fight with Wilder is the wildcard option. Fury and Wilder have already met three times in a compelling rivalry, and Fury has mentioned the American’s name as one of the available big fights. With Wilder still active and still carrying the kind of knockout power that makes any fight dangerous, it would attract considerable interest, even if it feels more like nostalgia than necessity at this stage of both men’s careers.

Fury has previously suggested he has three fights left in him before another retirement. If he gets past Makhmudov cleanly, the division opens up in front of him. The question is whether age, motivation, and the right opponents align before he hangs up his gloves for good.