Anthony Joshua’s Next Fight: Opponent, Date & Fury Blueprint

After months of speculation, Anthony Joshua’s return to the ring finally has a date, an opponent, and — unusually — a guaranteed sequel. The former two-time heavyweight champion will face Kristian Prenga on July 25, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with a signed two-fight blueprint that locks in a blockbuster showdown with Tyson Fury later that year.

Record (Joshua): 28-4, 25 KOs ·
Record (Fury): 34-2-1, 24 KOs ·
Comeback opponent: Kristian Prenga (15-1, 9 KOs) ·
Comeback date: July 25, 2026 ·
Hypothetical Fury bout timeframe: Late 2026 (November target) ·
Promoter: Eddie Hearn (Matchroom)

The following table confirms the key details of the comeback plan.

What is Anthony Joshua’s next fight?

Opponent confirmed: Kristian Prenga

• Anthony Joshua will face Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga on July 25, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (CBS Sports (leading boxing publisher)).
• Prenga holds a record of 15-1 with 9 knockouts and is relatively unknown outside European boxing circles (Strictly Business Boxing (boxing analysis site)).
• The fight is part of a multi-fight deal with Riyadh Season, facilitated by Saudi official Turki Alalshikh (Evening Standard (London’s daily newspaper)).

Date and venue: July 25, 2026 in Riyadh

• The bout is set for Saturday, July 25, 2026, at a venue to be confirmed in Riyadh (CBS Sports).
• Turki Alalshikh officially announced the fight on April 27, 2026 (Strictly Business Boxing).
• Viewers in the US and UK can watch live on DAZN (Box.Live (boxing database)).

The implication: Prenga is a tune-up opponent chosen to rebuild Joshua’s confidence after two losses in his last three outings. If Joshua gets past him cleanly, the Fury deal remains on track.

Is Anthony Joshua fighting Tyson Fury in 2026?

Joshua vs Fury: the blueprint

• Eddie Hearn confirmed the two-fight deal with the statement: “Signed, sealed, delivered! AJ v Fury is on!” (Evening Standard (London’s daily newspaper)).
• Joshua’s second fight under the multi-fight agreement will be against WBC Champion Tyson Fury (Strictly Business Boxing (boxing analysis site)).
• The contract is signed and the plan is for a late 2026 showdown, with November as a target date (Evening Standard).

When could the fight happen?

• Targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026, likely November (Strictly Business Boxing).
• The fight is set to stream live on Netflix (Strictly Business Boxing).
• Neither the exact date nor the venue has been officially announced (Box.Live (boxing database)).

What is the status of the contract?

• The deal is signed and sealed, according to Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn (Evening Standard).
• Both fighters have agreed to the two-fight plan, with Joshua fighting Prenga first (CBS Sports (leading boxing publisher)).

The catch: The Fury fight is contingent on Joshua beating Prenga and Fury staying healthy. Any upset in July derails the whole year.

Is Tyson Fury returning in 2026?

Fury’s activity before Joshua

• Fury has expressed interest in taking an interim fight before facing Joshua, according to ESPN (Evening Standard).
• Fury’s last fight was a win over Oleksandr Usyk in May 2024, after which he took time off.
• Frank Warren (Queensberry) has indicated that Fury wants at least one warm-up bout before risking a meeting with Joshua.

Fury’s recent comments on retirement

• Fury has not formally announced retirement, though he has hinted at it after the Usyk rematch (Strictly Business Boxing).
• ESPN reported that Fury is eyeing another fight before the Joshua bout (Evening Standard).

The trade-off: A warm-up for Fury reduces ring rust but risks injury or an upset that kills the super-fight revenue both camps are counting on.

Who is the Gypsy King?

Tyson Fury is widely known as the “Gypsy King”, a nickname that reflects his Romani heritage. He has held multiple world heavyweight titles and is considered one of the best heavyweights of his era. His professional record stands at 34-2-1 with 24 knockouts.

What time is Joshua vs Paul?

How to watch Joshua vs Prenga

• The Joshua vs Jake Paul event took place on December 19, 2025, not in 2026 (Box.Live (boxing database)).
• For the July 25, 2026 comeback against Prenga, ring walk times will be announced closer to the date (CBS Sports (leading boxing publisher)).
• Official broadcasters DAZN will release start times in the week prior.

The pattern: Joshua-Prenga will follow a standard Riyadh Season card schedule: prelims from 5 PM local time, main event ring walk around 10 PM local. US viewers can expect a 3 PM ET start.

Who offered Mike Tyson $700 million?

Context: The offer’s connection to Jake Paul

• The $700 million offer was reportedly made to Mike Tyson to fight Jake Paul, not involving Anthony Joshua (CBS Sports).
• This separate event was reported by multiple outlets but remains unconfirmed by Tyson’s camp (Evening Standard).
• Joshua’s 2025 fight against Paul and the Mike Tyson offer are entirely unrelated to his 2026 schedule.

The implication: The $700 million figure occupies a parallel universe of exhibition boxing; it does not affect the Joshua-Fury financial picture.

Joshua vs Fury: Head-to-head comparison

Three key metrics where the two heavyweights diverge — and one where they align.

The trade-off: Joshua lands more power punches per round but Fury’s reach and movement have troubled every opponent. The matchup favours Fury if it goes deep; Joshua needs an early ko.

Timeline: The road to Joshua vs Fury

Five key dates that shaped the 2026 fight plan.

• September 2024: Anthony Joshua loses to Daniel Dubois by KO in the 5th round at Wembley Stadium, losing the IBF World Heavyweight title (Box.Live (boxing database)).
• December 2025: Joshua returns to defeat Jake Paul by 6th-round knockout at Kaseya Center, Miami (Box.Live).
• April 2026: Official announcement of the Joshua-Fury two-fight plan by Turki Alalshikh (Strictly Business Boxing (boxing analysis site)).
• July 25, 2026: Comeback fight: Anthony Joshua vs Kristian Prenga (Riyadh, DAZN) (CBS Sports (leading boxing publisher)).
• Late 2026 (November target): Potential fight: Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury (Netflix) (Strictly Business Boxing).

This timeline shows the progression from defeat to comeback to potential super-fight.

Clarity check: Confirmed vs Unclear

The clarity check separates confirmed facts from unresolved questions.

What the insiders are saying

“Signed, sealed, delivered! AJ v Fury is on!”

— Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, to the Evening Standard

“The Joshua-Fury fight is the biggest event we can deliver for Riyadh Season.”

— Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, via Strictly Business Boxing

“Fury wants another fight before facing Joshua, to shake off any ring rust.”

— Source close to Tyson Fury, reported by Evening Standard

These quotes from key figures confirm the momentum behind the two-fight plan.

Summary: What the 2026 fight plan means

Anthony Joshua’s comeback against Kristian Prenga is a calculated risk. If he wins cleanly, the Fury super-fight — target November on Netflix — becomes the defining heavyweight clash of the decade. For Joshua, the consequence is clear: dominate Prenga or forfeit the payday and legacy that only a win over Tyson Fury can provide.

Related: Wolves vs Man United: Results, H2H, TV & Predictions | Real Sociedad vs Sevilla: H2H, Stats, Prediction & Lineups

Frequently asked questions