Anthony Joshua is to face Tyson Fury later this year after promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed a deal to stage the biggest fight in British boxing history has been signed.
Joshua will face Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga in Riyadh on July 25 as a warm-up for his long-awaited showdown with Fury, which is expected to take place in November and be shown on Netflix.
“Signed, sealed, delivered! AJ v Fury is on!” Hearn said on Instagram.
“The biggest piece of business we’ve ever done but more importantly the one we’ve always wanted. Biggest year of AJ’s career coming up, the comeback is on.”
Before taking on Fury at a venue yet to be announced Joshua must negotiate Prenga, who has lost only one of his 21 fights with all 20 of his wins delivered by knockout.
The little-known New Jersey-based 35-year-old has been campaigning well below Joshua’s level but with his solitary defeat coming by points, it will be hoped he provide the rounds needed to shake off the ring rust.
Joshua’s last appearance was a sixth round knockout of YouTube star Jake Paul in Miami in December.
Later that month the former two-time world heavyweight champion was involved in a car accident in Nigeria that killed two of his close friends, placing his career on hold amid concerns he might not box again.
But he has resumed training and has been taken under the wing of his old foe Oleksandr Usyk with the rivals-turned-allies currently in camp in Valencia.
Joshua’s last meaningful fight was against Daniel Dubois in 2024 when he was counted out in the fifth round.
The 36-year-old underwent elbow surgery and also had a shoulder injury, preventing him from returning to the ring until his comeback meeting with Paul.
“It’s no secret I’ve taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back into the ring and this is the next step on that journey,” Joshua said.
“I’m looking forward to competing and picking up where I left off. As I said. The landlord will collect his rent. That is certain.”
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