Anthony Joshua returns to the ring on 25 July 2026, taking on Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia. While Joshua enters the contest as the overwhelming favourite, Prenga sees the bout as the biggest opportunity of his career and will be aiming to produce one of boxing’s biggest upsets.
For Joshua, the fight represents an important step in his comeback and could pave the way for a long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury later in the year. For Prenga, it’s a chance to prove he belongs among the heavyweight division’s elite.
Whether you’re a long-time boxing fan or new to the sport, this guide covers everything you need to know before fight night, including the date, venue, Prenga’s record, and how bookmakers view the matchup.
Anthony Joshua will face Kristian Prenga on Saturday, 25 July 2026.
As with most major boxing events, the undercard will begin several hours before the headline bout. The exact ring-walk time for the main event will depend on the length of the earlier contests, but fans can generally expect Joshua and Prenga to enter the ring later in the evening.
Broadcast details should be confirmed by the official promoter and broadcaster closer to fight week.
The fight will take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after being moved from its originally announced venue in Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia has become one of boxing’s biggest hosts in recent years, staging several of the sport’s highest-profile heavyweight contests. Joshua has fought successfully in the country before, making it a familiar setting as he looks to continue his return to world-title contention.
Kristian Prenga enters the fight with a professional record of 20 wins, 1 defeat and 20 knockouts.
The Albanian heavyweight has stopped every opponent he has beaten, giving him a perfect knockout ratio. However, he has yet to face an opponent of Joshua’s calibre, making this by far the toughest test of his career.
Although his record is eye-catching, many observers believe the quality of opposition has been significantly below world level. This fight will reveal whether Prenga can translate his knockout power against one of boxing’s most accomplished heavyweights.
Anthony Joshua is the clear favourite with bookmakers.
A two-time heavyweight world champion and Olympic gold medallist, Joshua possesses vastly greater experience against elite opposition than Prenga. His victories over former world champions and top contenders have established him as one of the division’s leading names.
Prenga’s unbeaten knockout streak in victory makes him an intriguing challenger, but most betting markets reflect the expectation that Joshua’s superior skill, experience and championship pedigree should see him emerge victorious.
As always, betting odds can change in the build-up to the fight as markets react to news and betting activity.
If you’re planning to bet on Joshua vs Prenga, you’ll find a variety of markets available at Bet442. Alongside the standard match winner market, bookmakers typically offer betting on the method of victory, total rounds, round betting, and other popular specials.
Anthony Joshua is expected to start as the clear favourite, so many bettors may look beyond the outright winner market in search of greater value.
Markets such as Joshua to win by knockout or a specific round of victory are often among the most popular for heavyweight contests, while those backing Kristian Prenga will be hoping he can produce a major upset.
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