Eddie Hearn says Tyson Fury is still in his “prime” and his return to boxing would be a good thing for the sport.

Fury, 37, confirmed in early January that he would return to action in 2026, nearly a year after announcing his latest retirement.

Fury has not fought since a second loss to heavyweight rival Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024. He is expected to have a warm-up match first before going head-to-head with fellow heavyweights later in the year.

“It’s a funny thing,” promoter Hearn told sky sports news.

“I think on the one hand you want to be ready for a challenge against elite players. On the other hand you’re coming back after a long break. You probably don’t want too many taxing challenges.

“I know some of the names and I’ll leave it to Turki (Sheikh) and Tyson Fury to mention those guys. We have guys who are up to the challenge.

“But, overall, it’s great to see him back. He never posts on social media and now every time I pick up my phone there’s a new Tyson Fury story.

“Boxing can save you at many different stages in your life. I don’t think he’s at a stage in his life where he needs saving, but you can tell that boxing has saved him before, probably many times, and in fact now he looks happier and more energetic than ever.

“Even away from boxing, I think physical training is the best form of mental help you can get in a lot of different situations.

“I think Fury looks excited right now. He’s in Thailand, isn’t he? Or wherever he is. He runs every morning.

“He inspires me! I look at it and I say, ‘Good for you.’ We’ve had a lot to say over the years, but I love that he’s back in the ring.”

Fury, who turns 38 in August, may not have fought in more than a year, but Hearn said: “I think he’s an unbelievable fighter. I think he’s good in his fights. And he can be in some big fights.

“He’s still in his prime, by the way. He lost to Alexander Usyk in two very close fights, and it’s not like, ‘Oh, he’s done now’.

“So, yeah, it’s good to see him back. It’ll be interesting to see who he faces. I think they’ll probably have discussions around April.”

A fight with former world champion Anthony Joshua appears to be on track for later in 2026, but Joshua is currently taking time away from boxing after his close friends and teammates Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Adoyele were involved in fatal car crashes in Nigeria last month.

Joshua, who was also in the car, required hospital treatment for minor injuries before returning to the UK.

Hearn says Joshua is ‘the only voice’ who can make decision About his future in the sport.

“At this point, who knows? I don’t think it’s even worth discussing publicly, even with AJ. So to be honest, what has been discussed in the past (about the Fury fight) is kind of irrelevant,” Hearn said.

“The key is if and when Anthony chooses to return to the ring. When he does, or if he does that, we’ll start to see what the road map looks like. But like I said, at this point, those conversations are a long way off.”