Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Tyson Fury (left) claimed a unanimous points win over Arslanbek Makhmudov
ByCoral BarryCombat Sports Senior Journalist- Published38 minutes ago
- 24 Comments
Tyson Fury's comeback fight on Netflix was watched by an average audience of more than five million viewers in the UK.
The former heavyweight world champion's 12-round domination of Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday was not a sell-out.
However, it was one of the most watched boxing encounters in the UK in the past decade, with most big fights shown on pay-per-view since 1996.
Barry McGuigan's win over Eusebio Pedroza in 1985 drew 19 million UK viewers, while Frank Bruno's defeat of Joe Bugner in 1987 was watched by 18 million.
The timing of Fury's return was deliberate. Hours after the Briton's hand was raised in London, season two of At Home with the Furys was released on Netflix.
The documentary has been trending at number one in the UK and Ireland since its release, although no viewing figures have been released.
By tying boxing and its surrounding reality content to a platform of the scale of Netflix, the sport has regained a level of mainstream exposure it has not enjoyed for decades.
In recent years on Netflix, Anthony Joshua v Jake Paul was watched by a global audience of 33 million, Katie Taylor's trilogy encounter with Amanda Serrano had an audience of six million and Jake Paul's win over Mike Tyson drew 125 million.
Fury v Joshua appears to be the next prize on that list, and there are suggestions it could be shown on Netflix.
The platform incorrectly announced that an autumn fight had been signed and would be live on Netflix.
No agreement is yet in place between Fury and Joshua's camps, with the latter weighing up whether to take a warm-up fight in the interim.
Several venues, including Wembley Stadium in London and Croke Park in Dublin, have been discussed.
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Media caption,'What's the hold up?' - Tyson Fury not interested in fighting anyone except Anthony Joshua
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