An air-raid siren accompanied 36-year-old Makhmudov’s arrival before a suited-up Fury strolled to the stage, smiling broadly.
“He’s back,” announced Fury, who flew in overnight from a training camp in Thailand.
“I feel fresh. I feel good,” he said. “If I was on the decline I would say it. I’d be the first to say.”
Fury has not fought in Britain since December 2022, when he stopped Derek Chisora at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to retain the WBC title.
He boasts 34 wins from 37 fights, including 24 knockouts, alongside two defeats by Usyk and a draw with Deontay Wilder.
“I bring a circus. I bring an entourage. I bring entertainment. I bring action. I bring cameras,” Fury added, insisting he was still in his “prime”.
Asked for a prediction, the Gypsy King forecast a sixth-round knockout with his “right hand”.
Makhmudov, meanwhile, kept it respectful and would not be drawn into insults or predictions.
He has won 21 of his 23 professional contests, with 19 victories by knockout. His most recent outing was a win over Briton Dave Allen in October 2025.
Nicknamed The Lion, Makhmudov recalled meeting Fury in Canada about a decade ago and described him as a “legend”, but said he is now focused on building his own “legacy”.
The face-off was good-natured. “You’re a big boy, aren’t you?” Fury said with a grin, and the pair closed it out with a handshake.