Anthony Joshua’s comeback fight has been confirmed as he prepares for a blockbuster showdown with Tyson Fury.
Joshua has not fought since his sixth-round knockout of Jake Paul in Miami in December, having sustained minor injuries as a passenger in a serious car accident 10 days later in Nigeria in which two of his close friends died.
The former two-time world heavyweight champion’s boxing future had been in doubt in the aftermath of that crash, though he has gradually stepped up his return to the ring by recently training with old rival Oleksandr Usyk.
Joshua was challenged by Deontay Wilder after attending the latter’s thrilling clash against Derek Chisora in London earlier this month, while he was also then at ringside a week later at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the previously retired Fury’s latest comeback win over Arslanbek Makhmudov.
Fury also threw down the public challenge to Joshua, who rejected his long-time rival’s invitation to get into the ring as he called him a “clout chaser”.
However, the long-awaited and lucrative all-British heavyweight bout is finally expected to happen later in 2026, with a date in November believed to be the target amid hopes that it will be staged in the UK.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has now confirmed that an agreement for Joshua to face Fury has now been signed, with one of the biggest fights in British boxing history expected to take place in the final quarter of the year, live on Netflix.
“Signed, sealed, delivered! AJ v Fury is on!” Hearn said on Instagram.
“The biggest piece of business we’ve ever done but more importantly the one we’ve always wanted. Biggest year of AJ’s career coming up, the comeback is on.”
Joshua was widely expected to take part in a warm-up fight before meeting Fury, which has now been confirmed by Turki Alalshikh to take place on July 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as part of the Esports World Cup Festival, live on DAZN.
His opponent is Kristian Prenga, a 35-year-old Albanian heavyweight who fights out of Canada and has a professional record of 20 wins - all of them knockouts - and one defeat from 21 career fights.
Prenga’s lone loss to date came on points in only his fifth pro bout against Giovanni Auriemma in the Netherlands in February 2017.
He has won 15 times in a row since then, last fighting in February with a first-round knockout of Joe Jones in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
“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,” said Joshua.
“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.”
Prenga said: “Anthony Joshua is a great fighter, but he made a terrible miscalculation in picking me as his opponent. 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.”
© The Standard Ltd