British boxer Anthony Joshua is set to face off against relatively unknown opponent Kristian Prenga on July 25 before a highly anticipated bout with longtime rival Tyson Fury.
The former two-time heavyweight champion has been out of action since his dominant victory over Jake Paul in December. Initially expected to return in March, Joshua was involved in a tragic car accident in Nigeria shortly after his win, resulting in the loss of close friends Kevin Ayodele and Sina Ghami.
Following a period of recovery from the harrowing incident, the 36-year-old has been spotted training with former rival turned friend Oleksandr Usyk in Valencia. Recently, Joshua made appearances at UK boxing events, supporting Derek Chisora in his fight against Deontay Wilder and witnessing Tyson Fury’s win over Arslanbek Makhmudov. Fury promptly called for a swift showdown with Joshua, who initially declined.
However, Joshua has now agreed to terms to face Fury in November, pending his victory over Prenga in Saudi Arabia this summer. Joshua expressed his readiness to return to the ring, stating his excitement for the upcoming fight and his determination to resume his boxing journey.
Prenga, an Albanian heavyweight with an impressive record of 20 knockout wins and only one defeat, is confident in his abilities to upset Joshua’s plans. He sees the upcoming fight as a pivotal moment in his career and aims to surprise the world with a victory in Saudi Arabia this July.