Joshua faces scrutiny over Prenga bout ahead of Fury unification
Critics question the necessity of a warm-up fight for a two-time champion, while DAZN’s pricing strategy draws debate amid a card lacking other major global names.
Anthony Joshua is set to return to the professional ring on Saturday, 25 July 2026, facing Kristian Prenga in a 12-round heavyweight bout at the Jeddah Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The contest serves as a critical preparatory step for Joshua ahead of a planned unification fight with Tyson Fury, following his victory over Jake Paul in December 2025. The event will be broadcast live on DAZN pay-per-view, with preliminary fights commencing at 9 a.m. ET on YouTube and the main card starting at 1 p.m. ET.
The matchup has drawn criticism from observers who view the bout as a "questionable" warm-up fight. Commentators have noted that both Joshua and Fury are experienced enough to avoid such preliminary contests prior to their unification clash, raising concerns about the risk to the planned Fury bout. Joshua, a two-time heavyweight champion who has previously lost to Oleksandr Usyk, Daniel Dubois, and Andy Ruiz, is the heavy favourite against Prenga, who holds an undefeated record of 20-0 but lacks high-profile wins.
Tyson Fury recently defeated Mariusz Wach via seventh-round knockout, holding up his part of the deal for the unification bout. Contracts for the Joshua-Fury fight have reportedly been signed, with the event expected to take place later this year. The source material indicates that the Prenga fight is described as a preparatory step, with Joshua aiming to re-establish his standing in the division before the major unification event.
The card also features two title defenses, with Hamzah Sheeraz defending his WBO super middleweight title against Simon Zachenhuber, and Josh Kelly defending his IBF junior middleweight title against Caoimhin Agyarko. Sheeraz, who previously defeated Alem Begic and Edgar Berlanga via knockout, is seen as a heavy favourite in his first title defence. Kelly, who won the IBF title in January 2026 against Bakhram Murtazaliev, faces the undefeated Agyarko in a bout that some commentators argue helps justify the event's pricing structure.
DAZN is charging $60 for the pay-per-view event, a price point that has been questioned by commentators given the lack of other major names on the card aside from the two title defenses. The undercard includes numerous prospects and veterans, including Reito Tsutsumi, Oleksandr Khyzhniak, and Mikie Tallon, but the main focus remains on Joshua’s path to the Fury unification. The event highlights the strategic challenges of managing high-profile fighters’ careers while mitigating injury risks before blockbuster bouts.
