Anthony Joshua today announced his return to boxing on July 25 in Riyadh, part of a two-fight deal with Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority. Joshua’s opponent will be once-beaten Albanian bruiser Kristian Prenga in what is expected to be a tuneup fight for his Tyson Fury showdown at the end of the year.
Assuming Prenga (20-1, 20 KOs) doesn’t spoil those plans.
“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,” Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) said. “I’m delighted to have agreed a multi-fight deal starting with July 25th in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I’m looking forward to competing and picking up where I left off. As I said. The landlord will collect his rent. That is certain.”
Joshua is one year older than Prenga at 36.
This marks the first fight for “AJ” since his fatal car accident last winter in Nigeria, which came on the heels of his jaw-breaking Jake Paul victory on Netflix. Fury had his own warmup fight earlier this month in anticipation for a potential blockbuster bout to close out the year and Alalshikh claims the Joshua fight is already signed, pending the July 25 outcome.
As for Prenga, he was last seen knocking around regional journeyman Joe Jones earlier this year in Las Vegas.
“Anthony Joshua is a great fighter, but he made a terrible miscalculation in picking me as his opponent,” Prenga said in today’s release. “This is the kind of fight that changes everything in my life and his. I know they have big plans ahead after this fight. I know they are overlooking me. I’m happy about that. I will derail their plans and shock the world this July in Saudi Arabia.”
Fury vs. Joshua is expected to take place somewhere in the UK.
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