Joshua Targets Winning Comeback Against Prenga in Jeddah After Months of Grief

Joshua Targets Winning Comeback Against Prenga in Jeddah After Months of Grief

By Niyi Busari 

Former two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua will return to the ring on Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he faces Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga in his first bout since the tragic deaths of two of his closest friends and long-time team members, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The British-Nigerian boxer has not fought since defeating American boxer-turned-influencer Jake Paul in Miami, a victory that came just 10 days before a fatal car crash in Nigeria claimed the lives of his rehabilitation coach, Sina Ghami, and personal trainer, Latif Ayodele, in December.

Saturday's contest at the 40,000-capacity Jeddah Superdome also marks Joshua's first competitive appearance since his knockout defeat to IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September 2024.

The venue holds special significance for Joshua, having hosted his 2022 rematch with Oleksandr Usyk in the "Rage on the Red Sea" event, where the Ukrainian retained his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles via split decision.

Speaking ahead of the fight, Joshua said months of preparation had left him fully focused on the challenge ahead.

"We have been working since January, working hard, keeping my head down and aligning all my stars. I am fully focused. I understand there is a big picture. The goal is to conquer the universe, right? But first we must conquer Earth, and this is my target here," he told reporters during Thursday's pre-fight news conference.

The 36-year-old has also spoken openly about the emotional impact of losing Ghami and Ayodele, admitting that he is still processing the tragedy while relying on training to keep his focus.

"It is tough. Every time I think about it, it hurts. If I stop, you let it sink in, and I am not ready for it to sink in yet," Joshua told the BBC.

Victory over Prenga could pave the way for a long-anticipated all-British heavyweight showdown with Tyson Fury later this year.

Fury strengthened the prospects of the blockbuster clash after stopping Polish veteran Mariusz Wach by seventh-round technical knockout in Pattaya, Thailand, on Friday. The victory was Fury's second of the year after a 16-month absence from the ring.

Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, has dismissed concerns that the proposed bout could collapse, insisting that only defeat or injury this weekend would jeopardize plans for a potential November meeting.

"AJ has fought every contender available to him and has even signed previously to fight Tyson Fury. The only thing that will stop the fight from happening in November is if one of these guys loses this weekend or suffers an injury," Hearn said.