Anthony Joshua has agreed to face fellow former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, Eddie Hearn has revealed.
Joshua, who hasn’t fought since being a passenger in a tragic car incident in December, will make his comeback against Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Fury and Joshua, both two-time world champions, have carried British boxing on the worldwide stage for more than a decade, but despite years of negotiations and false beginnings, the match has never taken place.
However, promoter Hearn said on Monday via social media that the long-awaited fight has been “signed, sealed, and delivered.”
“As I said, the landlord will collect his rent. That is certain,” Joshua said about the fight.
Joshua, 36, must first defeat the unknown 35-year-old Albanian Prenga, who has 20 victories (all by stoppage) and one loss.
The British fighter’s most recent ring performance was against Jake Paul in December.
Later that month, Joshua’s driver crashed in Nigeria, killing two members of his boxing entourage.
“It’s no secret I’ve taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back into the ring, and today is the next step on that journey,” Joshua said.
Joshua v. Fury is yet to be scheduled or have its location determined. Hearn has previously stated that it could debut in November on streaming behemoth Netflix.
Joshua attended Fury’s recent comeback bout against Arslanbek Makhmudov and was immediately called out by his British opponent after securing a comfortable decision victory. Fury, 37, tried to coax Joshua into the ring, but he declined.
Afterwards, Team Fury stated that they had signed their portion of the deal and were waiting on Joshua to do the same.
“I’m looking forward to competing and picking up where I left off,” Joshua added.
British boxing fans have been waiting for this match for nearly a decade. We don’t know when or where, but unless Riyadh experiences a massive shock this summer, it will eventually happen.
First and foremost, Joshua must complete his warm-up routine. Not even magnificently; just get the job done.
Prenga is unknown to all save the most die-hard boxing fans, but it’s a safe return. His outstanding knockout record adds enough threat to make it feel like a genuine bout, but not enough to seriously jeopardize what comes next.
There is a genuine issue as to why Joshua requires an interim fight, but the explanation is simple: he needs time back in the ring.
His most recent victory came against a YouTuber-turned-boxer, following a crushing setback at the hands of Daniel Dubois and victory against former UFC champion Francis Ngannou.
Joshua’s last win over a well-known, established fighter was in 2023 against Otto Wallin.
