Anthony Joshua returns to the ring this weekend against Kristian Prenga in a heavyweight showdown that could set up his long-awaited super-fight with Tyson Fury.
Anthony Joshua is back. The former two-time world heavyweight champion returns to the ring this weekend.
It's an emotional comeback, but the boxing stakes are just as significant - a win sets up the fight the sport has waited a decade for: Joshua vs Tyson Fury, provisionally slated for November.
Standing in Joshua's way is Kristian Prenga, an Albanian heavyweight with a perfect knockout record but almost no name recognition outside hardcore boxing circles.
Here's the full breakdown of the fight, including dates, odds, records, and the undercard.
When is Joshua vs Prenga?
Joshua vs Prenga takes place on Saturday, July 25, at the Jeddah Superdome in Saudi Arabia. It comes just one night after Fury's own tune-up bout against Mariusz Wach in Thailand, meaning both heavyweights will be in action within 24 hours of each other ahead of their expected showdown later this year.
Joshua vs Prenga Odds
Joshua enters as an overwhelming favorite, and the betting markets reflect just how lopsided this matchup is considered on paper:
- Joshua: 1/25
- Prenga: 19/1
- Draw: 50/1
Who is Anthony Joshua Fighting?
Kristian Prenga is a 35-year-old heavyweight who was born in Albania and now trains out of New Jersey. His résumé reads 20-1 with 20 knockouts - every single one of his wins has come inside the distance, a genuinely eye-catching stat that suggests real one-punch power. His lone defeat came via decision in just his fifth pro fight.
The catch is the level of opposition. Prenga's two most recent victories came against Joe Jones (15 losses in 31 fights) and Brandon Carmack (11 losses in 20), meaning he has never faced anyone close to world level. At 6'5" and over 260 pounds, he's a similarly sized frame to Joshua — no coincidence, given he's essentially serving as a stylistic dry run for the taller, rangier Fury.
Prenga has talked up his chances of pulling off the upset, framing the fight as the kind of career-altering opportunity he doesn't intend to waste. Whether that confidence translates into a genuine puncher's chance against a former unified champion remains to be seen.
Where to Watch Joshua vs Prenga
The fight streams exclusively on DAZN pay-per-view for £19.99. A separate DAZN subscription isn't required to purchase the PPV, though the fight is also included as part of DAZN's Ultimate tier, which runs £24.99 a month for 12 months or £249.99 upfront.
The main card is set to begin at 6pm BST, with Joshua's ring walk expected around 10:45pm BST (5:45pm ET / 2:45pm PT).
Joshua vs Prenga Undercard
This is a stacked card outside of the main event, headlined by two title fights:
Main Card
- Anthony Joshua vs Kristian Prenga (Heavyweight)
- Hamzah Sheeraz vs Simon Zachenhuber (WBO Super-Middleweight Title)
- Josh Kelly vs Caoimhin Agyarko (IBF Super-Welterweight Title)
- Reito Tsutsumi vs Alvino Herrera (Super-Featherweight)
- Jacob Bank vs Pawel August (Super-Middleweight)
- Nishant Dev vs Cesar Diaz (Super-Welterweight)
Prelims
- Oleksandr Khyzhniak vs Lenny Patrach (Light-Heavyweight)
- Ziyad Almaayouf vs Frank Mango (Welterweight)
- Mikie Tallon vs Orlando Pino (Super-Flyweight)
- Mohammed Alakel vs Lydon Chircop (Lightweight)
- Sultan Almohamed vs Efren Besalduch (Super-Featherweight)
- Omar Hikal vs Brian Castellano (Super-Middleweight)
- Mahmoud Mobark vs Bryan Zapata (Super-Lightweight)
Joshua vs Prenga Records
| Fighter | Record | KOs | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Joshua | 29-4 | 26 | 6'6" |
| Kristian Prenga | 20-1 | 20 | 6'5" |
Joshua, 36, is still one of the biggest names in the sport despite four career losses, all against elite-level opposition (Usyk twice, Ruiz Jr, and Wilder... via Fury-era rankings notwithstanding). His 26 knockouts across 29 wins show he's remained one of the heavyweight division's most reliable finishers even as he's aged.
Prenga's numbers look flashy on the surface - a 100% knockout rate across 20 wins is rare at any level - but the quality of opposition gap between the two men is enormous. This fight is designed as a confidence-building, rust-shaking assignment for Joshua ahead of the biggest fight of his career against Fury, rather than a genuine 50-50 contest.
