British boxer Anthony Joshua is set to face off against relatively unknown opponent Kristian Prenga on July 25 before his highly anticipated bout with long-standing rival Tyson Fury.
The former two-time heavyweight champion has been out of action since his dominant victory over Jake Paul in December. Joshua’s comeback was delayed following a tragic car accident in Nigeria, where he lost close friends Kevin Ayodele and Sina Ghami just days after his bout with Paul.
After taking time to recover 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 boxing events, supporting Derek Chisora and witnessing Tyson Fury’s win 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 Saudi Arabia this summer. Joshua expressed his eagerness to return to the ring, stating that he is ready to resume his boxing journey and reclaim his position. Prenga, an Albanian heavyweight with an impressive knockout record, is confident of causing an upset and disrupting Joshua’s future plans.
The upcoming fight between Joshua and Prenga is expected to be a pivotal moment for both fighters, with high stakes and intense anticipation surrounding the match.