Tyson Fury wasn’t the only big fight on the table for Arslanbek Makhmudov in 2026.The Russian slugger welcomes Fury back to the ring on April 11 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after 16 months on the sidelines.Fury will make his long-awaited return against Makhmudov in two months’ timeGettyBefore negotiations got underway between both camps, Makhmudov claims Anthony Joshua had promised to fight him this year.However, those plans were put on hold when Joshua was involved in a fatal car crash that killed two of his close friends, Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami.“This came suddenly,” Makhmudov told talkSPORT.com about how his fight with Fury came about.“Before this, I spoke with Anthony Joshua, and he gave me a promise to fight this year.“But after he got into some trouble (a car accident in Nigeria). “I asked my promoter about Anthony, and he said there probably won’t be a fight right now.“So I said, ‘If not, Joshua, I heard Tyson Fury is also looking for somebody to fight’.“I said, ‘Could you ask for me? I can fight with him, no problem’. “He asked, and they approved it, and that is it.“It was about perfect timing. They were looking for someone for a fight, and I had this information, I think I read it in the news.Joshua’s future in the ring is currently uncertainAFP“It makes sense because now the UK fans know me after my last fight [against Dave Allen].”When is Anthony Joshua coming back?While Fury and Makhmudov lock horns this Spring, Joshua isn’t expected to step back between the ropes until the Summer.Long-time promoter Eddie Hearn is tentatively eyeing July for Joshua’s comeback.The original plan was for Joshua to box in March over in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, before diving in at the deep end with Fury in August.It now seems more likely that the long-awaited all-British showdown will take place in either late 2026 or early 2027.Before the accident in Nigeria, American heavyweight Cassius Chaney and former Glory Kickboxing heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven had been floated around as potential dance partners alongside Makhmudov.