LONDON (AP) — Tyson Fury says his return to boxing was spurred by the deaths of two friends of rival Anthony Joshua in a car crash in December.
Former two-time heavyweight champion Fury (34-2-1) is ending a 15-month retirement from the ring on April 11 against Russian-born Arslanbek Makhmudov (21-2) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The boxers were at the stadium on Monday when Fury revealed Joshua's tragedy motivated him to fight again.
Joshua was in a car crash in Nigeria which killed his close friends Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele.
A week later, Fury announced his comeback. Any plans to fight Joshua this year were set aside but Fury acknowledged how his British compatriot and old rival played a part in his return.
“Tomorrow might not ever come and I suppose the biggest turning point in this comeback for me was the tragedy that happened with Anthony Joshua,” Fury said.
"I was on holiday with my family in Thailand for Christmas just to get away from the rain. I was sick of the rain, it was depressing me, and then I hear all about the 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 can happen at any given moment.’
"You should never put things off until tomorrow, or next year, or next week because tomorrow is not promised to nobody.
“I made my mind up there and then I was going to come back to boxing because it's something I love, I am passionate about and I have always been in love with. There is no tomorrow so that's why I am back today.”
Fury retired after his second consecutive loss to Oleksandr Usyk at the end of 2024.
“Since I’ve retired for the fifth time over a year ago, boxing for me has gone on a downward slope and it’s become quite boring,” he said. “I am coming back to make boxing great again.”
Tyson Fury, left, and Arslanbek Makhmudov face off during a press conference at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Monday Feb. 16, 2026. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
Tyson Fury speaks during a press conference at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Monday Feb. 16, 2026. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
MADRID (AP) — With Kylian Mbappé back, Real Madrid returns to Portugal looking for some payback against José Mourinho's Benfica in the Champions League.
Three weeks after Mourinho's team stunned his former club in a 4-2 win that allowed Benfica to qualify and kept the Spanish giant from automatically reaching the round of 16, the teams meet again on Tuesday at the Stadium of Light in the first round of the knockout stage.
“Benfica did not surprise me last time at all because I know what all of José Mourinho’s teams are like," Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa said. "It’s a new match, nothing like the one three weeks ago. We’ve analysed it and we’re ready. I can’t ask for more from the players than what they have shown so far.”
Benfica got the goal it needed to qualify thanks to a last-minute header by goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin against Madrid, allowing it to grab the 24th — and final — spot for the knockout stage on goal difference.
Mourinho said Madrid was “wounded,” and “a wounded king is dangerous.”
"We will play the first leg with our heads, with ambition and confidence. We know what we did to the kings of the Champions League,” he said.
The coach acknowledged that Madrid remained heavily favored and it would take a near perfect series for Benfica to advance.
“I don’t think it takes a miracle for Benfica to eliminate Real Madrid," he added. "I think we need to be at our highest level. I don’t even say high, I mean maximum, almost bordering on perfection, which does not exist. But not a miracle."
Arbeloa praised his former coach, and said beating Benfica wouldn’t be about revenge.
“They have an incredible leader, and that’s their coach,” Arbeloa said. “Our goal isn’t to take revenge on Benfica, our goal is to win the Champions League, and beating Benfica is a step in that direction.”
The rematch highlights a knockout round that also includes defending champion Paris Saint-Germain against Monaco and Inter Milan, last year’s runner-up, facing Norwegian outsider Bodø/Glimt.
Mbappé, who already has 38 goals for Madrid this season, will be available after he missed the Spanish league match against Real Sociedad at the weekend because of a knee issue.
He has nine goals in his last six matches with Madrid, including both goals in the loss to Benfica.
"He is doing very well," Arbeloa said. “He has been dealing with these minor knee issues for quite some time this season. He is making a great effort every time he steps onto the field and we have decided not to take risks so that he will be ready to start the match on Tuesday.”
PSG dropped out of the top eight that automatically qualified for the last 16 after a 1-1 home draw against Newcastle in the last round of the league phase. PSG fell to 11th place.
On Friday, it lost at Rennes 3-1 in the French league for its third defeat of the year — and sixth this season.
Monaco, which finished 21st in the league phase, beat Nantes 3-1 on Friday, but before that it had won only once in its last seven matches across all tournaments.
Inter heads to its match at Bodø/Glimt on Wednesday after six straight victories, including Saturday's last-minute 3-2 triumph over Juventus, a result that increased its Serie A lead.
Inter won its first four games in the league phase but then lost three in a row before finishing off with an away victory at Borussia Dortmund that secured it 10th place.
Bodø/Glimt, in its first Champions League campaign, needed back-to-back upset wins against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid to make it to the knockout round in 23rd place.
The other first legs on Tuesday include Juventus visiting Galatasaray and Dortmund hosting Atalanta.
On Wednesday, Newcastle is at Qarabag, Olympiakos hosts Bayer Leverkusen and Atletico visits Club Brugge.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Real Madrid's head coach Alvaro Arbeloa stands on the sideline during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe sits on the bench prior to the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
