AJ to Fight Prenga in July, Eyes Fury Clash
Last update: April 27, 2026
Disclaimer: This website may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you click on the link and make a purchase. We only recommend products or services that we personally use and believe will add value to our readers. Your support is appreciated!
This is his first fight since a fatal crash in Nigeria killed two of his closest associates....
Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will return to the ring against little-known Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia in July, as he rebuilds towards a potential blockbuster fight with Tyson Fury later this year.
The bout is scheduled for July 25 in Riyadh, marking Joshua’s first fight since personal tragedy struck late last year when two of his close friends were killed in a car crash in Nigeria.
“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.
Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh indicated shortly before the announcement that a long-anticipated fight between Joshua and Fury had been agreed.
“To my friends in Great Britain — it’s happening. It’s signed,” he said on social media, while Ring Magazine reported the clash could take place in the fourth quarter of the year.
Joshua, 36, faces a relatively untested opponent in Prenga, who has recorded 20 wins — all by knockout — in 21 professional bouts but has yet to face elite-level opposition.
An Olympic gold medallist at London 2012 Olympics, Joshua is a two-time heavyweight world champion with 29 wins and four defeats.
He first won the IBF title in 2016 with a knockout victory over Charles Martin, later adding the WBA, WBO and IBO belts before suffering a shock loss to Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019.
Joshua regained his titles in a rematch but lost them to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and again in a 2022 rematch. He also suffered a defeat to Daniel Dubois in 2024.
