Anthony Joshua's heavyweight bout against Albanian Kristian Prenga, scheduled for July 25, was moved from Riyadh to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia [1, 2, 3]. The non-title fight marks Joshua's first since a fatal car accident in Nigeria last December that claimed the lives of two close friends [1, 2, 3].
Joshua, who holds a professional record of 28 wins and 4 losses, described the fight as a "warm-up" for his highly anticipated showdown with Tyson Fury, expected to take place in November [1, 2, 3]. He said, "I'm building myself up to be stronger than I've ever been because I know I am—not only physically, because that's natural, but mentally. I've realised I'm a lot stronger than I ever thought I was" [1].
The fight venue change was announced at a joint press conference in London on June 1, where Joshua and Prenga faced off publicly for the first time [1, 2, 3]. No official reason was given for the relocation, though similar event moves in the region have occurred due to the ongoing Iran war and other regional conflicts [1, 2].
Prenga is a former kickboxer from Albania with a professional boxing record of 20 wins and 1 loss since 2016 [1, 2]. He described being underestimated as "actually a positive thing for me" [1]. Joshua, who last fought a significant opponent when he was knocked out by Daniel Dubois in September 2024, said, "These guys just dig a grave. I know exactly what I need to do. I know I’m going to deliver. It’s what I do. All the talk is cheap… this is my division" [2].
Joshua also reflected on boxing's impact on his life, saying, "I got into boxing to reshape my mind and identity, to make me a better person. It's doing the same for me now. It's reshaping my life and giving me purpose" [2]. He added, "What does boxing give me? It gives me an opportunity to work. I’m a contractor, this is a contract, this is my job, so I’ve got an opportunity to work" [3].
Tyson Fury, aged 37, is expected to fight on August 1 in Dublin, though his opponent has yet to be confirmed [3]. The Joshua-Prenga bout will be closely watched as a buildup to the anticipated Joshua-Fury clash later this year [1, 2, 3].