US EditionAnthony Joshua to Face Kristian Prenga in Riyadh on July 25
Joshua begins a multi-fight comeback after a December car crash, with promoters saying a Fury showdown could follow later in 2026.
- On Monday, Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Alalshikh announced Anthony Joshua will face Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Riyadh. The headline bout, billed as "The Comeback," will be broadcast live worldwide on DAZN.
- This return marks Joshua's first fight since December, when he survived a fatal car crash in Nigeria that killed his teammates Sina Ghami and Latif Latz Ayodele. The 36-year-old has focused on rebuilding since then.
- Promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed this bout is the first in a multi-fight deal targeting a showdown with British rival Tyson Fury later in 2026. Hearn described the match as a necessary "tune-up bout" before that potential encounter.
- Prenga, a 35-year-old Albanian, holds a professional record of 20 wins and one loss. He vowed to "derail their plans and shock the world this July in Saudi Arabia."
- Set within the Esports World Cup Festival, the event cements Riyadh's growing role in hosting major international boxing. DAZN's global broadcast underscores the fight's significance in Joshua's career trajectory.
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55 Articles
London, England.- Former world champion Anthony Joshua will fight for the first time since his involvement in a deadly car accident in December, when he faces Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia in July. "It is no secret that I have taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready to get back into the ring, and today is the next step on that road," Joshua said in a statement from his promoter, Matchroom. Joshua, 36, will fight Prenga, an Alban…
Anthony Joshua is preparing for his fight with Albanian Kristian Prenga.
Britain's Anthony Joshua, the former world heavyweight boxing champion, will return to the ring in July after a fatal car crash. He will face little-known Albanian Kristian Prenga in Riyadh. The fight will serve as preparation for a much-anticipated showdown with Tyson Fury later this year.
Anthony Joshua's strategy will be to gradually wear out the Albanian on July 25th.
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