Yesterday, London hosted the launch press conference for Anthony Joshua vs Kristian Prenga. The bout is scheduled to take place on July 25th in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
It will be Joshua’s first fight since his knockout victory over Jake Paul in Miami, Florida, in December 2025.
Both men confidently made their case for victory during the press conference, with Prenga speaking about respecting Joshua as a fighter, but having an ability to show no respect in the ring. Joshua welcomed the challenge, commenting: “I want you to show me no respect, and this is perfect for me, so thank you.”
The Heavyweight Landscape
In 2026, we have seen a link-up and developing friendship between Anthony Joshua and heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk. The pair were opponents on two separate occasions in 2021 and 2022, with the Ukrainian claiming victory both times.
On April 11th, Tyson Fury defeated Arslanbek Makhmudov in London via a unanimous points decision. Afterwards, a fierce war of words broke out between Fury and Joshua at ringside.
It has since been announced by Turki Alalshikh that the two fighters have now signed to face each other in late 2026 in what is expected to be a British blockbuster.
Mid to late November is the expected timing for this fight, should Joshua come through Prenga in July. Meanwhile, Fury could potentially compete once more in the meantime.
What Can We Expect From the Anthony Joshua vs Kristian Prenga Fight?
Kristian Prenga has a record of 20-1 and last fought in February of this year, claiming a TKO victory over Joe Jones in Atlantic City, USA.
To many, Prenga may be a pretty unknown entity. However, any heavyweight with 20 victories, all by knockout, cannot be ignored. This is a potential banana-skin fight for the English heavyweight and must be taken very seriously, especially given what is at stake with the mega-fights that lie ahead.
Joshua has only completed five full rounds since his knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois in September 2024. Therefore, the most ideal preparation for a Fury fight may be to bank some rounds and shake off that ring rust, in the same way Tyson Fury did against Makhmudov.
However, many boxing fans would love to see a statement performance from the Englishman. A dominant win would announce his return to the scene and help him build momentum heading into a Fury fight full of confidence.
What Next for Joshua?
Should Joshua come through the Prenga fight unscathed, Eddie Hearn has publicly spoken about how Joshua is actively planning his future. He mentioned that, in the past, Joshua focused purely on the task at hand before looking ahead. This potentially shows a difference in mindset as he heads into the latter part of his career.
The Tyson Fury fight is signed and has an expected date of late November. Following this bout, and depending on the result, many will naturally call for a rematch.
But should he prevail, will Joshua want to continue pleasing British fight fans, or will he pursue the achievement of becoming a three-time world heavyweight champion?
Only time will tell. However, what we do know is that Joshua simply must win against Kristian Prenga on July 25th in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
