Fury dominates Makhmudov in latest comeback and calls out Joshua

LONDON (AP) — Tyson Fury showed little rust in dominating Arslanbek Makhmudov for a unanimous decision victory Saturday and immediately challenged a ringside Anthony Joshua to fight him next.

“Let's give the fight fans what they want,” Fury bellowed after going 12 rounds in his latest comeback.

A long-awaited Fury-Joshua heavyweight showdown would be one of the biggest fights in British boxing history.

Joshua sat ringside and appeared to be using his phone to film portions of the fight at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He didn't commit to anything when Fury (35-2-1) yelled into the Netflix microphone: “Do you accept my challenge?”

Joshua said, “I'll punch you up,” and “I’m the landlord. You work for me.”

As for Saturday's fight, the self-described “Gypsy King" had a fairly slow start but otherwise dictated the pace with his left jab and in later rounds landed frequent lead uppercuts on Makhmudov (21-3). Two judges scored it 120-108 and the other 119-109.

The 36-year-old Joshua, a former world champion, later told Netflix in an interview: “Contracts will be sent over. You’ll probably see us in the ring.”

He noted he's still “sorting some things out” following the death of two close friends in a fatal car accident in Nigeria. Joshua was a passenger in the vehicle.

The 37-year-old Fury, the former two-time heavyweight champion, called it quits shortly after losing to Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024 for a second time — his only two professional defeats.

“If AJ don't want it, then lets get Usyk in the trilogy,” Fury said at Saturday's post-fight press conference.

At Fury's request, his ring walk was preceded by a tribute to the late Ricky Hatton, the Manchester native and former world champion who died last year at age 46.

The message “RIP Ricky” was stitched on the back of Fury's shorts.

Conor Benn earned a 10-round unanimous decision over Regis Prograis to bolster his case for a title shot against WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia.

Benn (25-1, 14 KOs) took command in the middle rounds with punishing body shots against 37-year-old Prograis (30-4, 24 KOs), a former two-time world champion at super lightweight (140 lbs).

Saturday's bout was at a catchweight of 150 lbs.

All three judges scored it 98-92 for the 29-year-old Briton, who sustained cuts over both eyes from head clashes.

AP boxing: https://apnews.com/boxing

Boxers Conor Benn's face is bloodied during welterweight bout Regis Prograis at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP)

Boxers Conor Benn, left, and Regis Prograis battle during a welterweight bout at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP)

Boxer Tyson Fury, left, punches Arslanbek Makhmudov during a heavyweight bout at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP)

Boxer Anthony Joshua reacts following the heavyweight bout between Tyson Fury and Arslanbek Makhmudov in London, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP)

Boxer Tyson Fury, right, punches Arslanbek Makhmudov during a heavyweight bout at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP)

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Shane Lowry became the first player with two career holes-in-one at the Masters on Saturday.

More importantly, his ace at the par-3 sixth put him in contention for his first green jacket.

Playing with Tommy Fleetwood and trying to chase down good buddy Rory McIlroy, Lowry hit a 7-iron from 190 yards and watched the ball hop three times before disappearing into the cup. He reared back and shook his arms in celebration, almost exactly like he did a decade ago, when Lowry aced the par-3 16th during the final round of the Masters.

“You don't ever expect to make a hole-in-one. I just couldn't believe it,” he said. “Obviously, you know, you're out here, and you're in the hunt at the Masters, and you're making a hole-in-one — it's pretty cool.”

Even cooler: Lowry ended up shooting 68, leaving him 9 under for the tournament and two back of McIlroy and Cameron Young.

“We all know it’s all about tomorrow. You know what I mean?” asked Lowry, whose only major victory came at the 2019 British Open. “Obviously it matters, today, but when we get to tomorrow, that’s when, you know, we’ll see what everyone is made of.”

Perhaps more incredible than his second ace in the Masters was the fact that it was Lowry's second ace in as many events. He had a hole-in-one on the second hole at Memorial Park during the Houston Open, using the same 7-iron he used on Saturday.

As for the Masters, it was the first hole-in-one since Stewart Cink's on the 16th in 2022. And it was just the seventh ace to happen on the difficult, downhill sixth hole; Corey Conners had the last one during the 2021 tournament.

Anyone who makes a hole-in-one during the Masters is rewarded with a crystal bowl. Now, Lowry's the first with two of them.

He has a rapidly growing list of aces at some of golf's iconic venues, too. Along with his two at Augusta National, and his recent one in Houston, the Irishman has aced the 17th at TPC Sawgrass — the famed island green — and the seventh at Pebble Beach.

“Maybe I'm just good. I don't know,” Lowry said, laughing. “I don't know.”

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Shane Lowry, of Ireland, waves after a hole-in-one on the sixth hole during the third round of the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Shane Lowry, of Ireland, waves after a hole-in-one on the sixth hole during the third round of the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club, Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)