Anthony Joshua's return to the ring has been confirmed. The former two-time heavyweight champion will face Kristian Prenga on July 25 before finally clashing with long-time rival Tyson Fury in a two-fight deal.
Joshua's Comeback
Joshua has not fought since defeating Jake Paul in December. He was involved in a fatal car crash in Nigeria shortly after that fight, which claimed the lives of close friends Kevin Ayodele and Sina Ghami. After taking time to recover, the 36-year-old has been training with former rival Oleksandr Usyk in Valencia. He recently appeared ringside to support Derek Chisora and watch Tyson Fury defeat Arslanbek Makhmudov.
The Two-Fight Agreement
Promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that Joshua will fight in July before facing Fury. The first bout is expected to air on DAZN, with the second on Netflix. Hearn stated that the location of the Fury fight will be decided by Turki Alalshikh, who is funding the event. While Dublin's Croke Park has been mentioned, Hearn hopes the fight will take place in the UK.
Joshua's opponent, Kristian Prenga, is a relatively unknown boxer. Joshua expressed confidence in his preparation, stating he is focused on coming through the July fight unscathed to secure the long-awaited showdown with Fury. The two heavyweight icons had previously agreed to meet five years ago, but a legal ruling forced Fury to fight Deontay Wilder instead.
The Fury-Joshua fight has been nearly a decade in the making and is expected to be the biggest boxing event in British history. Details on the venue and exact date for the Fury bout are yet to be finalized.
