Joshua faces Prenga in Jeddah amid grief and unification hopes
Anthony Joshua says he is not ready for the loss of two close associates to 'sink in' as he targets a future bout with Tyson Fury.
British heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is set to return to the ring against Kristian Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday. The bout marks Joshua’s first competitive fight since his knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September 2024, and arrives in the wake of a tragic vehicle collision near Lagos, Nigeria, on 29 December 2026.
The crash, which involved a stationary truck on a major road, claimed the lives of two close associates: Sina Ghami, Joshua’s full-time sport and exercise rehabilitation coach of over a decade, and Latif Ayodele, a personal trainer and long-time friend. Joshua, who sustained minor injuries in the incident, stated he is not yet emotionally prepared to fully process the loss.
"It's tough, every time I think about it, it hurts," Joshua told BBC Sport. "Even talking about it now... pictures… it hurts but I keep my mind occupied you know. If I stop, you let it sink in and I'm not ready for it to sink in yet."
Hours before the collision, Joshua had posted an Instagram video of himself playing table tennis with Ayodele. The 36-year-old admitted to feeling "a little bit nervous" about returning to competition at the highest level, but emphasised his clarity regarding his objectives. "I want to perform for my team, I want to make them proud and make myself proud," he said.
The fight serves as a potential stepping stone toward a long-awaited unification clash with fellow Briton Tyson Fury. Fury is scheduled to face Mariusz Wach in Pattaya, Thailand, on Friday, the night before Joshua’s bout. Joshua indicated that a face-off with Fury could occur within the next four to six weeks, contingent on both men winning their respective upcoming encounters.
Joshua, an Olympic gold medallist and former two-time heavyweight champion, declined a ring face-off with Fury in April but suggested the timing for such an event may be approaching. "If it's not Saturday night where we face-off, it will be within the next four to six weeks," he said, describing the potential matchup as a "big mark to leave on the sport."
The bout against Prenga follows Joshua’s victory over American YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul just 10 days prior to the December 2026 crash. Joshua insisted he is not underestimating his opponent, stating, "I'm not overlooking Prenga. This is a big deal for me this fight."
He concluded by reflecting on the stakes of the upcoming weekend, noting that the alignment of events offers a significant opportunity. "The stars are aligned and I have to make sure that I'm on course. It's going to be challenging but I can be the coward or the hero and I have to decide what I want to be."
