Anthony Joshua and Kristian Prenga got here nose to nose for the primary time at a London press convention on Monday, the place organizers confirmed that the heavyweights’ July 25 bout has been relocated inside Saudi Arabia. The combat, initially introduced for Riyadh, will now happen on the Jeddah Superdome and stream worldwide on DAZN.
No motive for the change was given on the occasion. The cardboard had been loosely tied to the Esports World Cup, which was lately moved from Riyadh to Paris due to the battle within the Center East, in keeping with The Impartial. Jeddah sits roughly 950 kilometers from Riyadh. Joshua has fought in each cities, together with his 2022 rematch loss to Oleksandr Usyk in Jeddah and wins over Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou in Riyadh.
HE Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Normal Leisure Authority and president of the Saudi Boxing Federation, mentioned the bout has drawn rising international curiosity since its announcement, pointing to “rising international curiosity within the occasions hosted by the Kingdom.” The cardboard is billed “The Comeback” and staged as a part of Jeddah Calendar in collaboration with Riyadh Season.
The combat marks Joshua’s first look since December, when he stopped Jake Paul in six rounds in Miami. Round ten days after that bout, Joshua survived a automobile crash in Nigeria that killed two members of his workforce, power coach Sina Ghami and coach Latif “Latz” Ayodele.
Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs), 36, enters with a transparent expertise benefit. Prenga (20-1, 20 KOs), a 35-year-old Albanian based mostly in Englewood, New Jersey, turned skilled in 2016 and has stopped each opponent he has overwhelmed.
Joshua units his focus
Joshua opened by thanking Alalshikh for making the combat and mentioned he’s locked onto a single goal. “I’ve a transparent objective in thoughts, and I totally perceive the problem forward of me,” he mentioned, including that he believes he’s in the very best form potential heading into the competition. “On July 25, the higher man will win.”
He described boxing as “each my career and my ardour” and mentioned the work in camp has left him stronger. The bout is broadly seen as a tune-up for a contracted combat with Tyson Fury later this yr, with experiences pointing to Wembley Stadium in October or November. Fury is looking for his personal warm-up in August and has mentioned he would love it staged in Dublin.
Prenga embraces the chance
Prenga, who has by no means fought in a principal occasion of this dimension, struck a respectful tone. “I’ve nice respect for Anthony Joshua and every part he has achieved in boxing,” he mentioned, calling Joshua “an awesome fighter.” He then framed the bout as his window. “Everybody has their second, and I imagine that is mine,” he mentioned, including that he has “by no means skilled with this stage of focus and willpower earlier than.” He vowed to ship “an announcement efficiency and surprising the world on July 25 in Jeddah.”
Hearn frames the comeback
Promoter Eddie Hearn used the kickoff occasion to current Joshua’s return as each private {and professional}, set in opposition to the demise of his teammates and his restoration from the crash. “Boxing is his function, boxing is his peace,” Hearn mentioned, describing a fighter he believes is extra pushed and targeted than at any earlier level in his profession. He referred to as the return one of many nice comebacks within the sport whereas cautioning that Prenga carries the facility to derail the projected Fury combat.
