Anthony Joshua is set to return to the ring on July 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, against unbeaten Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga in a bout officially dubbed “The Comeback.”
The fight was confirmed by His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, and will headline a card at the Esports World Cup at Boulevard City, streaming live worldwide on DAZN.
The bout opens a new multi-fight Saudi deal for the 36-year-old former unified world champion, who has not competed since a sixth-round stoppage of Jake Paul in December 2025 just ten days before he was involved in a car crash in Lagos, Nigeria, that claimed the lives of two of his close friends.
Joshua, who holds a record of 28 wins and 4 losses with 25 knockouts, said: “It’s no secret I’ve taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back into the ring and today is the next step on that journey. I’m delighted to have agreed to a multi-fight deal starting with July 25th in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
His promoter Eddie Hearn has previously indicated that July and November are the two key dates on the horizon, with a highly anticipated showdown against Tyson Fury potentially targeted for later in the year.
Standing in Joshua’s way is Albania’s Kristian Prenga, who is based in the United States and carries a formidable record of 20 wins against just one defeat, with every single professional victory coming inside the distance.
Should Joshua come through unscathed, he is expected to finally meet Tyson Fury in what would be the most anticipated fight in British boxing history, with that showdown reportedly set for late 2026 on Netflix.
