Anthony Joshua is in line to face Tyson Fury later this year in one of the most anticipated Heavyweight fights in recent memory. Before then, however, “A.J.” will take on Kristian Prenga in a “tune-up” fight on July 25, 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
This will be the first fight for Joshua since cracking Jake Paul’s jaw during his knockout victory in Dec. 2025 (see it again here). A few weeks later, Joshua was involved in a fatal car accident in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two of his friends.
It’s a traumatic experience that still weighs heavy on the big man’s mind, though he wants to make it known that the people truly suffering are the family of the deceased.
“My emotions can come at a later stage, but I really look at their parents and understand that it must be most difficult for them. So, I don’t make it about me; I make it about them. I make it about the mums and the dads of the two boys. “[Burying it is] not [the best way] for everyone. Everyone deals with it differently, but I think – for me – that’s the best way I’m handling the situation. It’s not about me, it’s bigger than me,” he concluded.
As for Prenga, he will be coming in with a very respectable 20-1 record, winning every single one of his fights via knockout, making him a legit threat to anyone standing across from him. Should he pull off the massive upset, it will not only ruin Turki Alalshikh’s massive plans for Joshua and Fury, but put him in line to get another major fight moving forward.
The two men squared off at the conclusion of their kickoff press conference earlier today (Mon., June 1) in London, England, setting the tone for what will be several more face offs prior to fight night. Check out their staredown in the video player embedded above.
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