Fight week has finally arrived for Anthony Joshua, with the heavyweight superstar preparing to make his first appearance of the year against dangerous Albanian puncher Kristian Prenga.
It’s Danger Before Destiny in Jeddah for ‘AJ’, who returns to the ring this weekend.
Joshua v Prenga | Sunday July 26 from 2am AEST | Anthony Joshua returns to the ring for the first time since successfully defeating Jake Paul at the end of 2025, taking on Albanian heavyweight, Kristian Prenga. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
Success for Joshua will tee up his long-awaited super-bout with Tyson Fury, with ‘The Gypsy King’ in action one day before against Mariusz Wach too.
But he is far from the only big name out for success, with the London 2012 favourite joined by world champions Hamzah Sheeraz and Josh Kelly on the bill.
WHEN IS JOSHUA VS PRENGA?
For Australian viewers, the fight takes place on Sunday, July 26.
The main card begins at 3am AEST, with the event available live on Kayo Sports and Foxtel.
WHERE IS JOSHUA VS PRENGA?
The fight is set to be held at the Jeddah Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Opened in 2021, the 40,000-capacity venue is a leading events destination for sports and multimedia events in the Gulf State.
FULL MAIN CARD
Anthony Joshua vs. Kristian Prenga: Heavyweight
Hamzah Sheeraz vs. Simon Zachenhuber: Super middleweight, for the WBO title
Josh Kelly vs. Caoimhin Agyarko: Super welterweight, for the IBF title
Reito Tsutsumi vs. Alvino Herrera: Super featherweight
Jakob Bank vs. Pawel August: Middleweight
Nishant Dev vs. Cesar Diaz: Super welterweight
Anthony Joshua vs Kristian PrengaSource: FOX SPORTS
WHO IS KRISTIAN PRENGA?
Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga knows many expect him to be swept aside by Anthony Joshua on Saturday night.
In the boxing world, Prenga is an unknown name. The 35-year-old has featured in 21 professional contests and boasts a record of 20-1, with all 20 of his wins coming by way of knockout.
These career numbers are impressive, but Joshua is the only notable name of note he will have faced since making his professional debut 10 years ago.
For Prenga, there will be a lot of fanfare during fight week.
Whenever Joshua fights, a mass audience follows, especially with this contest serving as the prelude for a proposed meeting with Tyson Fury later this year.
But does Joshua’s standing as one of the best heavyweights alter Prenga’s perception of the 36-year-old?
“I don’t think he is one of the best heavyweights in the world, but he’s a great fighter,”
Prenga told DAZN’s Ade Oladipo.
Instead, Prenga is relishing his role as a significant threat. He claims that Joshua and his team have underestimated him, and he’s ready to punish AJ for putting arrangements in place for a date with Fury before their fight has taken place in Jeddah.
“He’s a great fighter, but I think he has a lot of flaws,” Prenga continued.
“It’s not offended me, I’m happy because they have underestimated me. I don’t think it’s a good idea making plans to fight Tyson Fury.
“I’m going to break his plan.”
When it came to making a prediction, Prenga is expecting the finish to come within the scheduled distance.
“It’s not going to go 10, 12 rounds or however long the fight is going to be.”
Prenga comes into this fight on the back of an impressive run of form which has seen him amass a 16-fight knockout streak, and if he extends this to 17 against Joshua, it will be one of the biggest boxing upsets in recent memory.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
For Joshua, just about everything.
A loss would likely end any realistic hopes of reclaiming a heavyweight world title.
A dominant win, however, keeps him firmly in conversations surrounding all the biggest names in his division.
For Prenga, victory would instantly transform him into one of boxing’s biggest stories.
ODDS
Anthony Joshua is the overwhelming favourite to take victory this weekend, and is priced odds-on with DAZN Bet at 1/33.
Kristian Prenga meanwhile is the outsider, but can be taken at 14/1 for an almighty upset against the Briton.
Anthony Joshua: 1/33
Kristian Prenga: 14/1
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FORM & HISTORY
Few names carry as much recognition beyond boxing’s traditional borders like Joshua does – a true generational star since his breakthrough over a decade ago.
Yet after a 2024 defeat to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium, it has been a hard road for the fighter, with a lengthy recovery from physical and mental wounds.
Last December’s sudden bout with Jake Paul was more of a loose knockabout for the star, only for a fatal car crash to hand him a further setback mere days later.
The loss of close friends and team members Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami raised questions whether Joshua could call time full stop on an often glittering career.
Instead, working with old rival Oleksandr Usyk, he has slowly built himself back into the ring with an eye on his long-awaited clash against Fury to come later this year.
In Prenga, he faces a near-unbeaten unknown, with the Albanian victorious across the board since 2017 – albeit against lower-wattage opponents for the most part.
His brutal stoppage ratio though means he arrives with plenty still to offer against ‘AJ’ – and the Briton cannot afford any further slip-ips if he is to prevail in the ring.
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TALE OF THE TAPE
Anthony Joshua
Nationality : British
Age : 36
Height : 6’6”
Reach : 82”
Total fights : 33
Record : 29-4 (26 KOs)
Kristian Prenga
Nationality : Albanian
Age : 35
Height : 6’5”
Reach : N/A
Total fights : 21
Record: 20-1 (20 KOS)
This story first appeared on DAZN NEWS.