Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is set to return to the ring in July when he faces unheralded Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia, as he continues his comeback following a difficult period marked by personal tragedy and injury setbacks.
The 36-year-old Briton confirmed the July 25 bout in Riyadh, describing it as the next step in his rebuilding process after time away from boxing.
“It’s no secret I’ve taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back into the ring, and this is the next step on that journey,” Joshua said.
Joshua’s return comes after a turbulent spell, including the deaths of two close friends in a car crash in Nigeria in December, shortly after his most recent fight—a fifth-round knockout victory over YouTube personality Jake Paul.
Talks are also ongoing for a long-anticipated showdown with domestic rival Tyson Fury later this year, a fight widely considered overdue by boxing observers. Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh recently hinted that the deal had already been finalised, writing on social media: “To my friends in Great Britain — it’s happening. It’s signed,” with reports suggesting a possible fourth-quarter clash.
Before any potential Fury showdown, Joshua must first contend with Prenga, a 35-year-old Albanian heavyweight who holds 20 knockouts in 21 professional wins but has yet to face elite-level opposition.
Joshua, an Olympic gold medallist at London 2012 and a two-time unified heavyweight champion, boasts 29 wins—26 by knockout—and four defeats in his professional career.
He first became world champion in 2016 by stopping Charles Martin and went on to unify multiple belts before suffering a shock defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019. He regained his titles in a rematch but later lost them to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021, followed by another defeat in their 2022 rematch and a 2024 stoppage loss to Daniel Dubois.
Since undergoing elbow surgery and recovering from a shoulder injury, Joshua has fought only once, in the bout against Paul.
Meanwhile, Tyson Fury recently ended a brief retirement with a points win over Arslanbek Makhmudov, while his promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed preliminary talks for a possible November blockbuster between the British heavyweights.
AFP
