Anthony Joshua vs. Kristian Prenga Preview: Tale of the Tape, Full Undercard and Fight Week Videos Ahead of Joshua’s Return in Jeddah
By Real Combat Media Boxing Editorial Staff
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, (July 23rd, 2026)–Anthony Joshua makes his long-awaited return to the ring Saturday night at the Jeddah Superdome, taking on unbeaten Albanian puncher Kristian Prenga in a fight billed as “The Comeback.” It is Joshua’s first appearance since a car accident in Nigeria last December killed two of his close friends, and a win sets up a proposed showdown with domestic rival Tyson Fury later this year. Doc’s staff breaks down the full card, the tale of the tape, and where Joshua goes from here.
Full Fight Card
DAZN PPV, Jeddah Superdome
Anthony Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) vs. Kristian Prenga (20-1, 20 KOs) — Heavyweight, 12 rounds
Hamzah Sheeraz (23-0-1, 19 KOs) vs. Simon Zachenhuber (28-1, 19 KOs) — WBO Super Middleweight Title
Josh Kelly (18-1-1, 9 KOs) vs. Caoimhin Agyarko (18-0) — IBF Junior Middleweight Title
Jacob Bank (19-0, 11 KOs) vs. Pawel August (18-0, 7 KOs) — Super Middleweight
Reito Tsutsumi (4-0, 3 KOs) vs. Alvino Herrera (18-0-2, 11 KOs) — Super Featherweight
Oleksandr Khyzhniak (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Lenny Patrach (8-0-1, 5 KOs) — Light Heavyweight
Mikie Tallon (14-0, 3 KOs) vs. Orlando Pino (17-3, 11 KOs) — Super Flyweight
Nishant Dev (6-0, 4 KOs) vs. Cesar Diaz (10-2, 5 KOs) — Super Welterweight
Ziyad Almaayouf (7-1-1, 1 KO) vs. Frank Mango (8-1, 5 KOs) — Welterweight
Mohammed Alakel (8-0, 2 KOs) vs. Lydon Chircop (8-4, 4 KOs) — Lightweight
Sultan Almohammad (4-0, 3 KOs) vs. Efren Besalduch (3-3-1, 1 KO) — Super Lightweight
Omar Hikal (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Brian Castellano (2-1) — Super Middleweight
Mohamed Mabrouk (1-0) vs. Bryan Zapata (5-9-1, 4 KOs) — Super Lightweight
Joshua’s Road Back
Joshua’s last time in the ring produced one of the more emphatic performances of his late career, a sixth-round stoppage of Jake Paul on December 19 in Miami that broke Paul’s jaw and answered, for one night at least, the questions about how much the 36-year-old had left. Ten days later, everything changed. Joshua was a passenger in a car accident while on holiday in Nigeria that killed two of his close friends, Latif “Latz” Ayodele and Sina Ghami. He escaped with minor injuries, but the tragedy cast a long shadow over what should have been a celebratory stretch of his comeback.
Joshua returned to camp in January, training in Spain alongside former opponent Oleksandr Usyk, the same fighter who beat him twice for the unified heavyweight championship. Saturday marks his first fight since the crash. Prenga is a considerable step down in name value from the murderers’ row Joshua has faced across his career, but nobody around this fight believes The Comeback is only about boxing.
Tale of the Tape
| Anthony Joshua | Kristian Prenga | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 29-4 (26 KOs) | 20-1 (20 KOs) |
| Age | 36 | 35 |
| Height | 6’6″ | 6’5″ |
| Reach | 82″ | Not officially listed |
| Stance | Orthodox | Orthodox |
| Hometown | Watford, England | Orosh, Albania |
| KO Percentage | 90% | 100% |
The Opponent: Kristian Prenga
Prenga, nicknamed “The Eagle,” built his career largely on the New Jersey club circuit after relocating from Albania to Edgewater, and every one of his 20 professional wins has ended in a knockout. His only loss came by decision to Giovanni Auriemma in the Netherlands back in 2017, a blemish that has since looked more like a footnote than a warning sign. His most notable win to date came against gatekeeper Joey Dawejko by 5th-round stoppage; Dawejko, a former sparring partner of Joshua, is the clearest data point available on how he handles a name opponent.
Stylistically, Prenga is a long, awkward pressure fighter who leans on his jab and a variety of uppercuts to close distance before letting his hands go. At 6’5″, he gives Joshua a genuine size matchup on paper, which few of Joshua’s recent opponents have offered. The gap in level of competition remains the central question. Nobody Prenga has beaten approaches Joshua’s resume, and Saturday is by a wide margin the biggest occasion and the toughest name of his career.
Betting Odds
Anthony Joshua -2500 to -4000 / Kristian Prenga +1100, depending on the sportsbook.
Odds via BetOnline, BetUS and William Hill, current as of fight week and subject to movement. Prenga has a small puncher’s chance here.
Prediction
The gap in class is significant here, and the betting markets reflect it. Joshua’s jab and his experience against world-level opposition should be enough to find Prenga early, and Prenga’s aggressive style plays into Joshua’s hands against a fighter who has historically handled straight-ahead pressure well when healthy. Look for Joshua to close the show inside the first four rounds. The bigger story remains what happens after the final bell, not during it.
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What’s Next: The Tyson Fury Fight
A win Saturday keeps Joshua on course for the fight British boxing has chased for over a decade. Tyson Fury fights his own tune-up on Friday against journeyman Mariusz Wach in Pattaya, Thailand, a bout that will not be broadcast. Assuming both former unified champions get through fight week clean, Joshua and Fury are expected to finally meet later this year, with a November date at Wembley Stadium the most heavily rumored landing spot. Ring Magazine has reported the fight is already signed for the fourth quarter of 2026.
Fury has made no secret of wanting it. After outpointing Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, he called out Joshua directly from the ring, pushing for what promoters have long dubbed the Battle of Britain. Joshua has answered in kind, telling Fury he sets the terms. Prenga is the last name standing between Joshua and a fight that would rank among the biggest in British boxing history.
How to Watch
Date: Saturday, July 25
Main card start: 1:00 p.m. ET / 10:00 a.m. PT / 6:00 p.m. BST on DAZN PPV
Main event ringwalks (approx.): 5:45 p.m. ET / 2:45 p.m. PT
Official ceremonial weigh-in: Friday, July 24, from Jeddah. Times are approximate and subject to change with undercard length.
Watch Fight Week Videos
Anthony Joshua vs. Kristian Prenga Press Conference | Matchroom Boxing
Anthony Joshua vs. Kristian Prenga Weigh-In
The official ceremonial weigh-in streams live from Jeddah on Friday, July 24, on Matchroom Boxing’s YouTube channel. Check back here once the video posts, or watch it live at youtube.com/@MatchroomBoxing.
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