Anthony Joshua vs. Kristian Prenga | DAZN - 25 July 2026

[Ruthless-RKO]

Get ready for the return of Anthony Joshua to the ring against Kristian Prenga at The Comeback
as part of Esports World Cup

July 25
Broadcast live on DAZN

[Ruthless-RKO]

Anthony Joshua-Tyson Fury deal signed; AJ in July 25 warm-up vs. Prenga

Anthony Joshua will make his return to the ring against Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Should Joshua come through Prenga unscathed, he will finally fight Tyson Fury at the end of 2026 in arguably the most anticipated showdown in British boxing history, live on Netflix.

Joshua, 36, has not boxed since his involvement in the Lagos car crash which killed his two close friends Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele on December 29.

Although he sustained only minor injuries in the accident, it was unclear whether Joshua would ever fight again but he confirmed his intention to box on during an emotional video uploaded a month later.

Almost immediately, thoughts turned towards a potential fight with Tyson Fury, who himself had confirmed his return to the ring following the fifth retirement of his career.

However, Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) insisted he wanted an interim fight before heading into a Fury fight. In a press release on Monday, Joshua said: “It’s no secret I’ve taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back in to the ring and today is the next step on that journey.

"I’m delighted to have agreed a multi-fight deal starting with July 25th in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I’m looking forward to competing and picking up where I left off."

In reference to a clash between Joshua and Fury, Turki Alalshikh, head of the General Entertainment Authority and owner of The Ring, tweeted: "To my friends in Great Britain - it’s happening. It’s signed."

Joshua was ringside at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11 as Fury outpointed Arslanbek Makhmudov in his comeback fight. The pair then memorably exchanged words in the aftermath, but Joshua refused to enter the ring for a face-off with Fury.

The London 2012 Olympic champion insisted he would not do so until the fight was signed, and given that Fury had shaken off any ring rust by beating Makhmudov, he would also require a “tune-up fight.”

Now it has been confirmed that will come against big-punching Albanian Prenga (20-1, 20 KOs).

The 35-year-old New Jersey resident has not competed near world level and is yet to take part in a scheduled 12-rounder. But he has a 100 per cent knockout ratio with his only defeat coming narrowly on points over eight back in 2017.

Their clash will be streamed live and exclusively on DAZN, headlining a show midway through the third edition of the annual Esports World Cup tournament (July 6-August 23) in Riyadh's Boulevard City.

In the same press release, Prenga said: “Anthony Joshua is a great fighter, but he made a terrible miscalculation in picking me as his opponent. This is the kind of fight that changes everything in my life and his. I know they have big plans ahead after this fight.

"I know they are overlooking me. I’m happy about that. I will derail their plans and shock the world this July in Saudi Arabia.”

This will be Joshua’s first fight since a sixth-round stoppage of Jake Paul in their lucrative eight-rounder on December 19 in Miami, 10 days before the car crash.

Before facing Paul, he had not boxed since his crushing fifth-round knockout at the hands of then-IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September 21.

This clash with Prenga will also represent his fifth outing in Saudi Arabia. His first outing in the Kingdom was a redemptive points win over Andy Ruiz in December 2019, before defeat on points to current Ring Magazine champion Oleksandr Usyk in their Jeddah rematch in August 2021, 12 months after losing the unified titles.

His fortunes changed in Riyadh when embarking on a rebuilding spell as he knocked out both Francis Ngannou and Otto Wallin in the capital across a four-month spell from December 2023 to March 2024.

-------------
THE COMEBACK

ANNOUNCED: Anthony Joshua will return to the ring against Kristian Prenga on July 25th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as part of Esports World Cup

#JoshuaPrenga | July 25th | Exclusively on DAZN

[keithmoonhangover]

Who’s this guy?

Kristian Prenga

Rated one place above Arslanbek Makhmudov by BoRec.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Anthony Joshua will return to boxing in a comeback fight on July 25 in Riyadh ahead of potential showdown with Tyson Fury

Anthony Joshua will return to boxing against Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Eddie Hearn has set November as a potential time for the long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury though that fight yet to be confirmed

Anthony Joshua will return to boxing in a comeback bout on July 25 in Saudi Arabia.

The former unified world champion will fight Kristian Prenga in Riyadh this summer.

It will be Joshua's first contest since returning to training after a tragic car accident saw two of his close friends lose their lives in December.

It also comes as speculation mounts that Joshua will finally fight his great rival Tyson Fury later this year.

Joshua said: "It's no secret I've taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back into the ring and today is the next step on that journey. I'm delighted to have agreed a multi-fight deal starting with July 25 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

"I'm looking forward to competing and picking up where I left off. As I said: The landlord will collect his rent. That is certain."

Joshua-Fury is 'signed, sealed, delivered', says Hearn

Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh had already turbo-charged speculation on Monday that the fight between Joshua and Fury had been agreed when he posted on social media: "To my friends in Great Britain. It's happening, it's signed."

Hearn echoed Alashikh's sentiment in a post on Instagram shortly after, claiming the paperwork is "Signed, sealed, delivered! AJ vs Fury is on!"

Ring magazine have also confirmed the fight as a "done deal" on X, claiming that the fight will take place in "Q4" of 2026.

Joshua had a pre-existing contract for the fight with Fury - with the latter confirming that he had signed his side of the paperwork after his recent victory against Arslanbek Makhmudov.

"I've signed. I signed months ago. I don't know if he signed," Fury said after the fight at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Hearn's announcement, though, appears to confirm that all parties are now agreement that the fight is officially happening.

Hearn had previously told Sky Sports: "July and November are the two dates that have been presented to us now and we expect to move forward.

"Fury has just had his tune-up fight with 12 really vital rounds to get him sharp for the next one and I expect us to do the same."

Joshua finally accepts Fury's challenge

After Fury outpointed Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium he directly called on Joshua to fight him next.

"I want you, AJ, Anthony Joshua. Let's give the fight fans what they want - the Battle of Britain. I challenge you Anthony Joshua to fight me the Gypsy King next," Fury declared.

"Do you accept my challenge?"

Joshua answered: "I've been chasing you the last 10 years, when you're ready you come and see me and tell me your terms and conditions.

"I'm the boss, you work for me. I'm the landlord. You work for me."

Whether or not Joshua prevails against Prenga, he now looks set to fight Fury in an era-defining bout that will undoubtedly be one of the biggest in British boxing history.

Who is Kristian Prenga and what's his record?

Albania's Kristian Prenga is based in the USA and has good record on paper, 20 victories against just one defeat.

Every one of those professional wins has come inside the distance too.

The lone loss on his ledger came early in his career, against then 1-2 Giovanni Auriemma in 2017.

Prenga said: "Anthony Joshua is a great fighter, but he made a terrible miscalculation in picking me as his opponent. This is the kind of fight that changes everything in my life and his.

"I know they have big plans ahead after this fight. I know they are overlooking me. I'm happy about that. I will derail their plans and shock the world this July in Saudi Arabia."

"I mean no disrespect but Kristian Prenga is probably the most googled athlete in the last hour - because, on the surface of things, he's not the best known heavyweight," says Sky Sports Boxing expert Andy Scott.

"But nobody is pretending that this is anything other than an Anthony Joshua test-the-water comeback fight, because he was involved in the terrible car crash that took the life of his two great friends, Sina [Ghami] and Latz [Adoyele]. These were two close friends.

"He's gone through the physical trauma of the car accident. He has to go back into camp, which he has done, and he's taking it slow.

"This will be the test to see how he gets on in the training camp, hard sparring, and the pressure of a big fight week.

"In Saudi Arabia, it will be a more low-profile return for Joshua. It's a fight that they've made that he should win."

[Ruthless-RKO]

Joshua to have first fight since car crash in July

Former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua will make his comeback against Kristian Prenga in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 25 July.

It will be his first appearance in the ring since he survived a fatal car crash in Nigeria in December.

Joshua, who was a passenger in the car, was injured, while two members of his team were killed.

The British fighter's most recent appearance in the ring was against Jake Paul earlier that month.

Later that month Joshua's driver crashed in Nigeria, with two members of the boxer's team being killed.

"It's no secret I've taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back into the ring and today is the next step on that journey," Joshua said.

A date or venue for Joshua v Fury has not been announced. Hearn has previously suggested it could land in November on streaming giant Netflix.

Joshua attended Fury's recent comeback fight against Arslanbek Makhmudov and was called out by his British rival immediately after he secured a comfortable decision win. Fury, 37, attempted to goad Joshua into the ring, but he declined.

Afterwards, Team Fury said they had signed their part of the contract and were waiting on Joshua to do the same.

"I'm looking forward to competing and picking up where I left off," Joshua added.

Why a warm-up fight is right for Joshua - analysis

The fight British boxing fans have been waiting for for the best part of a decade is almost here. We still don't quite know when or where, but - barring an almighty shock in Riyadh this summer - it's finally going to happen.

First things first, though - Joshua has to get through his warm-up. Not even spectacularly - just get the job done.

Prenga is an unknown to all but the most hardened of boxing fans, but it's a safe return. With his impressive knockout record, it creates enough threat to make it feel like a proper fight but not enough to seriously derail what comes next.

There is a valid question of why Joshua needs an interim fight, but the answer is fairly straightforward - he needs some time back in the ring.

His last win came against a YouTuber-turned-boxer, before that was a heavy defeat by Daniel Dubois, and before that was former UFC champion Francis Ngannou. The last time Joshua beat a recognised, established boxer was Otto Wallin back in 2023.

But more than anything, there's the human side. The car crash in Nigeria, and the loss of two men he called brothers, changes the tone completely. This is about getting back into the mindset of fighting again.

As for Fury - if the fight lands in the UK, Wembley or Tottenham Hotspur Stadium feel like the obvious options, but a November date brings the usual questions about weather and practicality.

The finer details will start to fall into place over the coming weeks.

[joshj909]

Who’s this guy?

Kristian Prenga

Rated one place above Arslanbek Makhmudov by BoRec.

Not sure how that's happened. There's a few equivalents of him with padded records who are ranked fairly high like Camkiran, Hysa and Arutyunyan.

Either way, at least it's a new face and they did want that it would be against a nobody so at least it's not a nobody with 15 losses or a recycled opponent like Curtis Harper. However, I'd be surprised if he poses any problem beyond 3 rounds so a quick turnaround is required for a second warm up fight before Fury in December.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Anthony Joshua to make comeback against Kristian Prenga in Riyadh

Anthony Joshua will return to the ring on July 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia against Kristian Prenga, Matchroom Boxing have confirmed.

The bout will be the first in a two-fight deal with Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority.

The second is expected to be against Tyson Fury later in 2026, a source has told ESPN.

Ring Magazine, which is owned by Turki Alalshikh, has reported that Joshua vs. Fury is signed for later this year.

Earlier this month, Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed to ESPN that Joshua was targeting a return in July before going on to fight Fury in November.

The fight against Prenga will be Joshua's first since a Round 6 knockout over Jake Paul in Miami in December and his first since his involvement in a car crash later than month which killed two of his close friends and members of his team.

"It's no secret I've taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back into the ring and today is the next step on that journey. I'm delighted to have agreed a multi-fight deal starting with July 25th in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Joshua said.

"I'm looking forward to competing and picking up where I left off. As I said. The landlord will collect his rent. That is certain."

[Ruthless-RKO]

Press Release

His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, today announced Anthony Joshua will make his highly anticipated return to the ring on July 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia live worldwide on DAZN.

The Olympic gold medallist and former two-time unified heavyweight world champion will headline “The Comeback, ” as part of the Esports World Cup Festival, facing knockout artist Kristian Prenga in a heavyweight showdown.

Joshua enters the bout with a professional record of 28 wins and 4 losses, including 25 victories by knockout, with his most recent win coming by knockout against Jake Paul in December 2025.

Joshua said: “It’s no secret I’ve taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back into the ring and today is the next step on that journey.

I’m delighted to have agreed a multi-fight deal starting with July 25th in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I’m looking forward to competing and picking up where I left off. As I said. The landlord will collect his rent. That is certain.”

Over the past eight years, Joshua has been central to some of boxing’s biggest heavyweight events, capturing and unifying world titles with landmark wins over Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker, Kubrat Pulev, and Andy Ruiz Jr.

He has also shared the ring in high-profile clashes against Oleksandr Usyk, Daniel Dubois, and Francis Ngannou, headlining several global stadium events including Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Standing in his way is Albanian heavyweight Prenga, who holds a perfect knockout record – 20 wins, 20 knockouts – and just one defeat on his professional record.

The 35-year-old, who turned professional in 2016, will be competing in the highest-profile bout of his career to date, marking his first appearance in a major international main event.

Prenga said: “Anthony Joshua is a great fighter, but he made a terrible miscalculation in picking me as his opponent. This is the kind of fight that changes everything in my life and his. I know they have big plans ahead after this fight. I know they are overlooking me. I’m happy about that. I will derail their plans and shock the world this July in Saudi Arabia.”

[joshj909]

If this is the only warm up for Joshua, I don't see how this in any way prepares him for Fury

[Ruthless-RKO]

Guessing this is the opponent Usyk 'helped' pick out as well..

[tiny_acres]

Prenga's best win is Joey Dawejko. Beyond that win it is a mix of cab drivers and dish washers.
Prenga does have power so it could be interesting if he connects.
Should be a 4 or 5 round knockout win for Joshua

[stujones]

As people have alluded too - can't see how this prepares Joshua other than a nice pay day?

[Ruthless-RKO]

He has 20 KO’s in 20 wins.

So 100%

They gonna heavily use that as a selling point aren’t they?

[MasterG]

Even if AJ gets beat the fight with Fury will still happen. It's not about belts

[tigermoth87]

Padded record and good KO record to get the thick as pigshit casuals salivating. At least Fury's opponent was proven to be fringe level.

This guy is Mark De Mori #2.

Joke of a fight. Hope it backfires and he sparks Joshy boy.

[SeanBrennan]

Padded record and good KO record to get the thick as pigshit casuals salivating. At least Fury's opponent was proven to be fringe level.

This guy is Mark De Mori #2.

Joke of a fight. Hope it backfires and he sparks Joshy boy.

I came here to make the same De Mori comment

[margaret thatcher]

kristain prenga? who? da fuk

[handsofstone]

Horrendous, even if Joshua died in the crash it would be laughable

[SeanBrennan]

kristain prenga? who? da fuk

You must remember Prenga he’s the second best heavyweight in Albania!!!!!

[SeanBrennan]

He has 20 KO’s in 20 wins.

So 100%

They gonna heavily use that as a selling point aren’t they?

Destructive powerhouse! KO machine.

[margaret thatcher]

i totally get that the crash would mess with aj's head, but if he's decided to box on, he should be in a state where he's fighting better than this. im not sure this guy is even better than gary cornish was.

[gilgamesh]

I assume this guy has a lot of obvious holes in his defense if you were to watch him fight? On paper he seems like a halfway threatening guy, but surely they've done their research to make sure that half threat isn't even a half a threat.

[margaret thatcher]

doesnt even have an 0 to take

i get it, joshua has had 10 years of good opposition, late in his career, coming off crash, etc. im not expecting something great but this just seems needlessly soft

[joshj909]

Joshua - Prenga
Fury - Makhmudov
Kabayel - Knyba
Usyk - Verhoeven
Hrgovic - Allen
Itauma - Franklin

Not the most competitive start to the year for most of the top names at the moment.

[gilgamesh]

doesnt even have an 0 to take

i get it, joshua has had 10 years of good opposition, late in his career, coming off crash, etc. im not expecting something great but this just seems needlessly soft

Seems needlessly risky to me. I would've gotten him a guy that's like 11-9 with 3 KO's myself