Anthony Joshua insists he is standing “strong” and ready for the challenge of Kristian Prenga this Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – live worldwide on DAZN.

‘The Comeback’ is brought to fight fans by His Excellency Turki Alalshikh in association with Matchroom Boxing, SELA, Goldstar, Riyadh Season and Jeddah Calendar. 

Two-time Heavyweight Joshua headlines the 13-fight extravaganza at the state-of-the-art Jeddah Superdome, where he collides with Albanian knockout artist Prenga – who boasts an impressive 20 wins, all by way of knockout, on his resumé.

“He’s very dangerous,”said Joshua, speaking abot his opponent Prenga at Thursday’s Press Conference on the Jeddah Promenade.

“He’s a very good fighter. Very dangerous fighter. Yes I believe it, I know it, I’ve studied it and I’m ready for it.

“I’ve been in the ring with some of the quickest Heavyweights, some of the fittest Heavyweights, I’ve fought some of the strongest Heavyweights, I’ve fought contenders, I’ve fought champions, I’ve been knocked down, I’ve been knocked out. 

“But I stand strong today and I’m ready for the challenge one million percent. We are going to find out on Saturday.”

Prenga is confident that he can cause an almighty upset this Saturday and drastically alter the course of the Heavyweight division in the process.

“Every boxer has their weaknesses and their faults in the ring. No matter who you are,” said Prenga.

“I’ve seen everything. I’ve said it before, I respect Anthony Joshua very much. I grew up watching all of his fights. I’ve seen his weakness, I’ve seen what he does best. On Saturday night I will show exactly what I have paid attention to.”

The RIng Magazine CEO, Rick Reeno, believes the element of intrigue for the Main Event should make fight fans tune in to watch ’The Comeback’ around the world on the Global Home of Boxing, DAZN.

“I’m intrigued by the fight coming up in two days because Prenga is an unknown commodity,”said Reeno. 

“When you have an unknown commodity it makes for a dangerous fight, especially when the guy is a puncher. That’s one thing we know about Prenga more than anything; he can punch. 

“AJ is dubbed by some as the landlord, he thinks there’s a lot of squatters right now in the Heavyweight division, he feels it is time to start collecting the rent again. He’s going to be looking to collect the rent this Saturday night. We’ll see if Prenga is going to pay the rent or whether he’s going to say, ‘I’m buying out my lease’.”

Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn insists Joshua has many more chapters to write in his incredible story in this sport, backing his man to overcome Prenga in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“This is AJ’s fifth fight in Saudi Arabia, we’ve been coming here for seven years since the Andy Ruiz fight,” said Hearn. 

“As you know, other than a little outing at the end of 2025, Anthony Joshua has never taken an easy fight. He hasn’t got one on Saturday. He’s continuously fought the very best, he’s continuously lit up the Heavyweight division. 

“On Saturday night, live on DAZN, he’ll show the world again there’s many many more chapters to write. We look forward to another great night and another huge moment for Saudi Arabia.”

WBO World Super Middleweight Champion Hamzah Sheeraz, meanwhile, defends his gold against Germany’s Simon Zachenhuber on the undercard, as fellow Briton Josh Kelly makes the maiden defence of his IBF Super Welterweight crown against Northern Ireland’s Caoimhin Agyarko. 

The Ring Magazine ambassador and rising Japanese Super Featherweight prospect Reito Tsutsumi is in action too as he collides with Mexican livewire Alvino Herrera, whilst India’s 2024 Olympian Nishant Dev looks to extend his unbeaten start to life in the professional ranks when he clashes with Cesar Diaz.

19-0 Danish Super Middleweight destroyer Jacob Bank goes up against 18-0 Pawel August, as Saudi Arabian fighters Ziyad Almaayouf, Mohammed Alalkel and Sultan Almohammed all look to win in front of their home fans.

‘The Comeback’ is broadcast live and exclusively worldwide on DAZN. For more details, visit dazn.com

This Saturday, July 25, Anthony Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs), will at last make his highly anticipated return to the ring against Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga (20-1, 20 KOs) inside the Jeddah Superdome, airing live and exclusively on DAZN PPV. 

The DAZN Boxing Media Center offers exclusive Joshua vs. Prenga content like fight posters, trailers and other highlights which are only accessible to those enrolled. You can sign up for the Media Center HERE. 

While Joshua’s return against the KO-artist Prenga stars as the main event, the card is stacked with 13 total fights including WBO Super Middleweight Champion Hamzah Sheeraz (23-0-1, 19 KOs) defending his belt against No. 7 ranked contender Simon Zachenhuber (29-1, 18 KOs) in the co-main event. IBF Super Welterweight Champion Josh Kelly (18-1-1, 9 KOs) also makes his first defense against former WBA International Super Welterweight titleholder Caoimhin Agyarko (18-0, 7 KOs). 

As if that wasn’t enough, DAZN is bringing another massive clash to fans across the globe when three-belt Welterweight Champion Errol Spence Jr. (28-1, 22 KOs) fights for the first time in three years against former Super Welterweight Champion Tim Tszyu (27-3, 18 KOs) on July 25 from Afterpay Arena in Sydney, Australia. The pay-per-view fight is available for purchase through DAZN on Prime, regardless of Prime membership.

The exciting slate of fights comes on the heels of a jam-packed week for DAZN Boxing, who added PBC in a landmark deal that will continue bringing marquee fights under the DAZN umbrella. DAZN also unveiled a flurry of upcoming fights headlined by Lamont Roach Jr. (25-1-3, 10 KOs) and William Zepeda’s (33-1, 27 KOs) WBC Lightweight World Championship bout on August 1. Two-division world champion Teófimo Lopez (22-2, 13 KOs) also challenges Rolando “Rolly” Romero for his WBA Welterweight belt on August 22 in Las Vegas. 

UPCOMING EVENTS ON DAZN

Thursday, July 23, 2026

Joshua vs. Prenga Press Conference

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | 1 p.m. ET

WATCH THE PRESS CONFERENCE HERE

Friday, July 24, 2026

Joshua vs. Prenga Weigh-in

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | 2 p.m. ET

WATCH THE WEIGH-IN HERE

Saturday, July 25, 2026

Joshua vs. Prenga 

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | PPV Start: 1 p.m. ET | Main Event Ringwalks: 5:52 p.m. ET

WATCH THE FIGHT HERE

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His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and President of the Saudi Boxing Federation, affirmed that “The Comeback” bout between British heavyweight Anthony Joshua and Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga, scheduled to take place on July 25 at Jeddah Superdome as part of Jeddah Calendar and in collaboration with Riyadh Season, continues to attract significant media and public attention since its announcement.

The event reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing status as a host of major international sporting and entertainment events and will be broadcast live worldwide on DAZN.

This came as the official launch press conference for the bout was held today in London, marking the first media appearance and first face-off between Joshua and Prenga since the fight was announced. The event drew extensive media coverage and heightened anticipation from boxing fans and international media ahead of one of the most anticipated heavyweight contests of the year.

HE Turki Alalshikh said:“Today, we are witnessing growing global interest in the events hosted by the Kingdom, and that is clearly reflected in the level of anticipation and attention surrounding this bout since its announcement. We look forward to delivering an exceptional experience for fans through ‘The Comeback’ and to building on the Kingdom’s success in hosting some of the world’s biggest sporting and entertainment events, further strengthening Saudi Arabia’s position as a destination for leading international events and personalities.”

Anthony Joshua said: “I would like to thank HE Turki Alalshikh for making this fight possible. I have a clear goal in mind, and I fully understand the challenge ahead of me. I remain focused on my preparation and training, and I believe I am in the best shape possible heading into this fight. On July 25, the better man will win. Boxing has given me an incredible opportunity because it is both my profession and my passion. The work I have put in during training has made me stronger, and I look forward to showing everyone what I am capable of inside the ring.”

Kristian Prenga said:“I have great respect for Anthony Joshua and everything he has achieved in boxing. He is a great fighter. But everyone has their moment, and I believe this is mine. I have never trained with this level of focus and determination before, and I feel stronger and more prepared than ever. I am ready for this challenge, and I look forward to delivering a statement performance and shocking the world on July 25 in Jeddah.”

Joshua headlines “The Comeback” following a distinguished career that has established him as one of the most prominent heavyweight boxers of the past decade. He holds a professional record of 28 wins and 4 losses, including 25 victories by knockout, with his most recent win coming via knockout against American boxer Jake Paul in December 2025.

The London 2012 Olympic gold medallist and former two-time unified heavyweight world champion is regarded as one of boxing’s most influential figures, having secured landmark victories over Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko, New Zealand’s Joseph Parker, Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev, and Mexican-AmericanAndy Ruiz Jr. He has also featured in major bouts against Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk, Britain’s Daniel Dubois, and Cameroonian Francis Ngannou, headlining major events at iconic venues including Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

Meanwhile, Albanian contender Kristian Prenga enters the contest with an impressive record of 20 wins, all by knockout, and only one defeat. Having turned professional in 2016, Prenga is set to compete in the highest-profile fight of his career and make his first appearance in a major international main event.

The bout forms part of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing success in attracting world-class events. Riyadh Season has established itself as a leading platform for major international sporting and entertainment events, while Jeddah Calendar continues to strengthen its position as a destination for distinctive global experiences, contributing to exceptional entertainment offerings and reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s standing on the global events map.

Anthony Joshua’s highly anticipated return against Kristian Prenga on Saturday, July 25 – live worldwide on DAZN – will now take place at the Jeddah Superdome, it was announced today.

It will be the second time the two-time Unified Heavyweight World Champion has fought in Jeddah, this time headlining at the 40,000-seater, state-of-the-art arena in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – in association with Matchroom Boxing, SELA, Goldstar, Riyadh Season and Jeddah Season.

In Joshua’s last visit to Jeddah, he took the reigning, lineal Heavyweight king – and his new stablemate – Oleksandr Usyk the distance back in 2023, only falling short in a pulsating split decision defeat.

But the British boxing great will be looking for a happier outcome this summer when he takes on the Albanian knockout artist Prenga (20-1, 20 KOs) in ‘The Comeback’.

AJ (29-6, 26 KOs) sized up his rival for the first time this evening at a launch Press Conference in London – and revealed he is confident he’ll get the job done in style in Jeddah.

Speaking at Exhibition White City this evening, Joshua said: “I know exactly what I need to do. I’m not worried about respecting this particular opponent, but when I look at myself, I know I’m going to deliver. This is my division.
 
“July 25 in Jeddah, the best man will win. I’m going to go in there and show how good I am. I’m going to show him my class, my skill and my boxing IQ and see if he can survive my power as well.”

Prenga, however, insisted he is not coming to Jeddah to make up the numbers and is determined to spring a huge upset.

“I respect AJ, he’s a great fighter and I’ve watched him from his first fight, but I think now is my time.”said Prenga.

“I’ve trained more than ever, I feel great, I feel ready and I’m going to show the world. I’m not a talker, I’m a puncher. If I catch you [AJ] you’ve never felt a punch like it. I respect him but in the ring I have no respect for anybody.”

Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn is excited to see Joshua back in the ring and highlighted his resilience to return to the heavyweight division.

Hearn said:“We’re incredibly proud of what he’s done to return to the ring physically, mentally, emotionally, and as AJ said, boxing is his purpose.
 
“The reason why we have these big heavyweight matchups is because of the energy and purpose that this man injected into the sport over the last 15 years. It’s one of the great comebacks and I think you will see the very best Anthony Joshua in Jeddah on July 25.”

The Ring CEO Rick Reeno is looking forward to Joshua’s return in Jeddah and highlighted the credentials of his Albanian opponent.

Reeno said: “The heavyweight division needs the return of Anthony Joshua. We know Prenga can punch, but we don’t know whether or not he can deal with a world-class operator like AJ.”