Tyson Fury comes under fire for 'cruel' publicity stunt involving a lion ahead of Arslanbek Makhmudov fight

Callum Vurley
Mon, 30 Mar 2026 19:06:48 +0000

Tyson Fury has found himself in hot water with fans after sharing footage of himself posing alongside a chained lion during his training camp in Thailand.

The former world heavyweight champion is currently preparing in Pattaya for his ring return on April 11, when he'll face Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It's been 16 months since Fury last stepped between the ropes, but his comeback preparations have sparked controversy for all the wrong reasons.

In the video posted to Instagram, the Gypsy King can be heard calling the big cat "a good boy" and comparing it to "a little Simba cat."

Fury used the encounter to take a swipe at his upcoming opponent, who goes by the nickname "The Lion."

His caption didn't hold back, declaring himself "the only King of the Jungle" and comparing Makhmudov to his "Aunt Patsy's cat."

"The Lion sleeps tonight - and so will you! THE KING IS COMING HOME," he wrote, making clear his intentions for the April 11 showdown in north London.

The heavyweight clearly fancied himself as the more fearsome beast ahead of their Tottenham clash, but it was the chained animal rather than his trash talk that grabbed attention.

Followers weren't impressed with the Gypsy King's visit to see the captive animal.

One fan urged him to think twice, writing: "Tyson, I think if you knew how these poor big cats were treated you'd be saddened, horrified even. Please do your research and use your platform to help them not support this industry."

Another kept it simple, telling him: "Not cool. Do your research on how they treat these animals."

A third expressed disappointment, saying: "I used to admire you... now this is just sad sorry no lion should be chained up for a photo op."

Fury will have his work cut out when he steps into the ring against the Canadian-Armenian fighter.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tyson Fury (@tysonfury)

Makhmudov has lost just twice in his professional career, including a stoppage defeat to second-ranked heavyweight Agit Kabayel back in 2023.

It's worth noting that Fury hasn't actually beaten a full-time boxer since his victory over Derek Chisora in 2022.

His most recent win came against UFC star Francis Ngannou in October 2023, though that bout saw him hit the canvas before scraping through on a split decision.