Anthony Joshua’s return plans now include a July 25, 2026, fight against Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, before a possible bout against Tyson Fury.
Joshua, 36, has not fought since he beat YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul by sixth-round knockout last year.
The former unified world champion said he agreed a multi-fight deal starting in Saudi Arabia and took time to “consolidate and rebuild” before returning to the ring.
Joshua also challenged Tyson Fury after the Paul fight, and Fury later accepted the challenge. Fury’s team wants another warm-up bout before facing Joshua, with the fight expected in October, November or December.
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Fury’s manager said the former heavyweight champion had recently returned after two years out of the ring and would benefit from one more fight before meeting Joshua.
Prenga said Joshua made a “terrible miscalculation” by choosing him and claimed the British boxer’s camp had overlooked him.
Prenga holds a 20-1 professional record, with all 20 wins by knockout. His only defeat came at the hands of Italian boxer Giovanni Auriemma in 2017.
