Anthony Joshua faces Kristian Prenga this weekend in what is likely to serve as a precursor for the proposed blockbuster showdown with Tyson Fury.
Joshua's Recent History
Joshua last fought in December 2025, knocking out YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in the sixth round in Miami. Since then, he has endured trauma outside the ring, suffering serious injuries in a car accident that killed two of his closest friends and members of his team, Sina Ghami and Latif Adoyele, in Nigeria.
In preparation for his return to boxing, the 36-year-old admits the tragic incident still has not sunk in.
"It's tough, every time I think about it, it hurts," he told BBC Sport. "Even talking about it now... pictures… it hurts but I keep my mind occupied you know. If I stop, you let it sink in and I'm not ready for it to sink in yet."
Without looking beyond Prenga, Joshua has admitted his dream is to have his hand raised in Jeddah before setting up a future match with Fury.
Fury vs Joshua Prospects
A deal for Fury vs Joshua to take place later in 2026 is still yet to be signed, with Fury coming out of retirement to face Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Friday evening.
Joshua will take to the ring on Saturday knowing the outcome of Fury's bout, for what will be his first competitive fight since suffering a knockout loss to IBF world champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September 2024.
Prenga's Background
Prenga is making an enormous jump in competition to face Joshua and is coming off a first-round stoppage win over Joe Jones in February. The New Jersey-based Albanian heavyweight has lost just once in his professional career, though his lack of experience in ten-round fights could prove decisive.
Fight Details
Joshua vs Prenga takes place on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at the Jeddah Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The show begins at 6pm BST (8pm local time). Ring walks are expected at approximately 10.52pm BST. In the UK, the event can be streamed live on DAZN with a standard subscription costing £19.99.
Fight Card
- Anthony Joshua vs. Kristian Prenga
- Hamzah Sheeraz (c) vs. Simon Zachenhuber - WBO super-middleweight title
- Josh Kelly (c) vs. Caoimhin Agyarko - IBF light-middleweight world title
- Reito Tsutsumi vs. Alvino Herrera
- Jacob Bank vs. Pawel August
- Nishant Dev vs. Cesar Diaz
Prediction and Odds
Joshua was never in real danger during his fight with Jake Paul six months ago, barely breaking a sweat before knocking him out. However, he looked rusty, particularly in early rounds. Despite that, he should make relatively light work of Prenga and send an emphatic response to Fury. While Prenga boasts an impressive record, this is a huge step up in class, and we expect him to succumb to Joshua's power in a likely stoppage. Prediction: Joshua to win by knockout.
Odds via UK betting sites: Joshua to win 1/33, Prenga to win 13/1, Draw 66/1, Joshua by points 7/1, Joshua by KO/TKO/DQ 1/8, Prenga by points 45/1, Prenga by KO/TKO/DQ 14/1.
