This week, at a London press conference, organisers officially confirmed that Anthony Joshua’s upcoming bout against Albanian contender Kristian Prenga has been relocated from Riyadh to the Jeddah Superdome.
Scheduled for July 25, the card — billed as “The Comeback” — will stream globally on DAZN as a joint venture under the Jeddah Calendar and extended 2025 edition of Riyadh Season. The bout marks a deeply emotional milestone for the 36-year-old Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs). This glove-to-glove clash will be Joshua's first time stepping into the ring since his December 2025 victory over YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul in Miami. Just ten days after that victory, Joshua survived a tragic car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of his strength coach, Sina Ghami, and trainer, Latif “Latz” Ayodele.
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Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports, Joshua opened up about how boxing is aiding his personal recovery. “Life throws many obstacles at us. I stand before you now as a boxer, but I've got things happening in my life. I think this is the right place for me to be,” Joshua stated. Renowned boxing promoter Eddie Hearn reinforced this sentiment at the kickoff event, framing the fighter's return as both a personal and professional necessity. “Boxing is his purpose, boxing is his peace,” Hearn remarked, noting that Joshua is more driven than at any previous point in his career.
However, the 35-year-old Prenga (20-1, 20 KOs), who has stopped every opponent he has beaten, view this as his ultimate career breakthrough. Showing immense respect for his opponent, Prenga noted, “I have great respect for Anthony Joshua and everything he has achieved in boxing.” Yet, the New Jersey-based fighter made his intentions clear, promising to deliver “a statement performance and shocking the world on July 25 in Jeddah.”
The July encounter is widely understood to be the first phase of a lucrative two-fight deal brokered by General Entertainment Authority (GEA) Chairman His Excellency Turki Alalshikh and Matchroom Boxing. The second phase is a long-awaited blockbuster showdown with British rival Tyson Fury projected for later this year. Fury is currently planning his own warm-up bout in Dublin on August 1.
With the contract now finalised, Joshua is ready for the drama, concluding: “If he's here, if he wants to get in the ring and I get the victory, 100 per cent he can step into my ring, into my environment. I'm inviting him into my house. He can come to the landlord's house. He's more than welcome anytime.”
The Comeback is now slated to take place on Thursday, July 25, 2026 in the Jeddah Superdrone
This fight was originally planned to take place in Riyadh, but this change in location was announced on Monday, June 1, 2026
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