Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni "AJ" Joshua, the British professional boxer, has announced his comeback to the boxing ring on July 25, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The match will take place at the Esports World Cup Festival. He is making his comeback against the knockout artist Kristian Prenga after a 7-month break from the boxing ring.
This matchup serves as the first in a two-fight deal with Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority. The second fight of this lucrative agreement is expected to be a mega-showdown against Tyson Fury later in 2026. Earlier in April 2026, Alalshikh had confirmed this through a special media post: "To my friends in Great Britain -- it's happening. It's signed."
Joshua’s comeback and his match against Tyson Fury were long-awaited by the boxing enthusiasts in Britain. It is long overdue, according to the media. It should have happened long before, had Joshua not taken a seven-month break in his career.
Rebuilding From Tragedy
This upcoming match marks a deeply emotional milestone for AJ. It is his first appearance since a harrowing December 29, 2025, car crash in Nigeria. While Joshua survived with minor physical injuries, the accident tragically claimed the lives of two of his close team members, Sina and Latz.
Just ten days before the crash, Joshua had brutally shut down the internet by delivering a dominant Round 6 knockout over Jake Paul in Miami. Now, he transitions from a period of heavy personal mourning and consolidation back into the bright lights of the world boxing championship.
"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 a multi-fight deal starting on July 25th in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Joshua said. He is looking forward to picking up from where he left off seven months back.
Tyson Fury Calls Out Anthony Joshua for a Face-to-Face Showdown
Earlier in April this year, Tyson Fury had challenged Anthony Joshua to take him on the ring after his unanimous victory against Arslanbek Makhmudov. "Let's give the fight fans what they want," Fury was reported to have said. The long-awaited match between Joshua and Fury is expected to be one of the major fights in the history of Boxing in Britain.
Joshua had accepted Fury’s call to fight by saying "I'll punch you up," and "I'm the landlord. You work for me." He later confirmed the match while speaking to Netflix in an interview: "Contracts will be sent over. You'll probably see us in the ring."
The Prenga Challenge for Joshua
Billed as the comeback for Joshua after his seven-month-long hiatus, Joshua’s fight against Prenga at the Esports World Cup Festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is seen as a challenge. This 12-round bout serves as a crucial warm-up for Joshua before the anticipated fight against Tyson Fury later this year.
Kristian Prenga (20-1, 20 KOs) is a heavy underdog but boasts massive punching power with a 95% knockout rate. He is determined to pull off a career-defining upset in this match. Joshua is also determined to win in this comeback episode. He has been heavily training alongside former rival Oleksandr Usyk to emerge victorious in the comeback.
Fighting out of New Jersey, Prenga (20-1, 20 KOs) possesses devastating knockout power and plans to derail the division's plans. In the build-up, Prenga has boldly stated that Joshua has made a "terrible miscalculation" by picking him as an opponent. On the other hand, Anthony Joshua has expressed his confidence in securing a win at this match. He is also waiting to take on Tyson Fury later this year, so a victory in this match is important for him.
