Anthony Joshua has exuded a noticeably relaxed demeanour in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, ahead of his highly anticipated comeback fight this Saturday, 27 July 2026. The British heavyweight, aged 36, is set to face Albanian puncher Kristian Prenga in his first bout since a tragic car crash in Nigeria last December claimed the lives of two close friends and team members, Sina Ghami and Latif 'Latz' Ayodele. Joshua even engaged with a vocal Albanian contingent at the press conference, encouraging them to bring their "energy" to the arena.
A victory for Joshua is crucial as it would position him on the cusp of a potential all-British heavyweight showdown against Tyson Fury. This mega-fight, widely anticipated by fans and pundits, hinges on 'The Gypsy King' also securing a win in his warm-up fight against Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Friday. Speaking at Thursday's news conference, Joshua emphasised his focus: "We've been working since January, working hard, keeping my head down and aligning all my stars. I'm fully focused. I understand there's a big picture. The goal is to conquer the universe, right? But first we must conquer Earth. And this is my target here."
Joshua's last win against an established heavyweight dates back to December 2023, when he defeated Otto Wallin. Just ten days before the fatal crash, the Watford fighter stopped YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami. His opponent, Kristian Prenga, 35, now based in New Jersey, boasts a professional record of 20 wins by knockout and just one defeat. However, Prenga has not encountered an opponent of Joshua's calibre, leading his manager Keith Sullivan to describe the upcoming contest as a "real-life Rocky moment." Prenga confidently predicted a knockout victory, a claim Joshua dismissed with a smile, stating, "Can he knock me out? I really don't believe it. But only God knows that."
In contrast to previous fight weeks where Joshua has often appeared guarded, he presented a more open and engaging figure this time. He was seen without his customary headphones, exchanging jokes with the event host, and saluting supporters. With a career record of 29 victories (26 by knockout) and four defeats, Joshua expressed his readiness: "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. I stand strong today and I'm ready for the challenge one million per cent."
Despite the inevitable media focus on a potential clash with Tyson Fury, Joshua politely steered questions back to his immediate challenge. Promoter Eddie Hearn suggested that "many, many more chapters to write" remain in Joshua's career, with the long-awaited Fury bout mooted for later this year. Joshua, however, remained resolute: "We don't want to talk about Tyson Fury. Respectfully, I've done all the media I can about what the future holds. Our focus is [Prenga] and his team. Let's focus on the job. Anyone can be there on Saturday. The more tickets sold, the better."