British boxer Anthony Joshua is set to face off against relatively unknown opponent Kristian Prenga on July 25 before stepping into the ring with his long-standing rival, Tyson Fury.
The former two-time heavyweight champion has been out of action since his dominant victory over Jake Paul, who transitioned from a YouTuber to a boxer, last December. Joshua’s anticipated return in March was delayed due to a tragic car accident in Nigeria, where his close friends Kevin Ayodele and Sina Ghami lost their lives shortly after his win over Paul.
Following a period of recovery from the harrowing near-death incident, the 36-year-old has been spotted training with former rival turned friend Oleksandr Usyk in Valencia. Recently, Joshua made appearances in the UK, supporting Derek Chisora in a fight against Deontay Wilder and witnessing Tyson Fury’s triumph over Arslanbek Makhmudov. Fury promptly called for a showdown with Joshua, who initially declined.
However, Joshua has now agreed to face Fury in November, pending a victory over Prenga in Riyhad, Saudi Arabia this summer. The match will be broadcast on DAZN. Joshua expressed his excitement for the upcoming fight, stating his readiness to return to the ring and continue his journey in boxing.
Prenga, an Albanian heavyweight with an impressive record of 20 knockout wins and only one loss, is confident in his abilities to surprise both Joshua and the world. He believes Joshua underestimated him as an opponent and is determined to disrupt Joshua’s future plans with a shocking victory in Saudi Arabia.
The much-anticipated bout between Joshua and Fury promises to be a significant event in the boxing world, with both fighters gearing up for a high-stakes showdown.
