Fury’s Chin Faces Real Test Against Makhmudov, Says Atlas

That uncertainty did not come out of nowhere. Fury was badly hurt in the ninth round of his first fight with Oleksandr Usyk and given a standing count after sustained punches forced him into survival mode. He made it through the round, but the reaction was there, and it changed how his durability is viewed.

The pattern shows up in other recent fights. Fury was dropped by a left hook in the third round by then 0-0 novice Francis Ngannou in October 2023. In the Deontay Wilder trilogy fight in October 2021, he was also down in the fourth round and given time to recover before the action resumed, with the count delivered at a measured pace.

Arslanbek Makhmudov does not need Usyk’s accuracy to make this uncomfortable. He is slower and easier to read, but he carries heavier single-shot power with either hand and throws with intent once he sets his feet. The punches he landed on Dave Allen in his last fight were heavy and direct, the kind that change how an opponent reacts the moment they connect.

Fury, 37, is coming off back-to-back defeats to Usyk that cost him his titles and removed the assumption that he can ride out trouble and reset. For years, his size and recovery allowed him to absorb mistakes and keep control of a fight. That expectation is no longer automatic after what has been seen in the ring.

The April 11 fight against Makhmudov is being seen as a step back into position. Atlas is treating it as something simpler. If he can take a clean shot without getting hurt, he stays in control. If he cannot, it ends quickly.