Anthony Joshua excited for future ahead of his return against Kristian Prenga

By Duncan Bech, Press Association

Anthony Joshua insists it is time to get back to work as he prepares for the first assignment of a two-fight deal which is set to conclude against Tyson Fury at the end of the year.

Joshua takes on little-known Albanian Kristian Prenga on July 25th in his first appearance since surviving a car crash in Nigeria in December that killed his close friends Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele.

The fight was originally scheduled to take place in Riyadh, but at their head-to-head press conference on Monday it was revealed it has been moved to Jeddah – Saudi Arabia’s second largest city.

It will be Joshua’s only warm-up before colliding with long-term British rival Fury in October or November, and the 36-year-old is ready to shake off the ring rust having not fought a meaningful opponent since being knocked out by Daniel Dubois in September 2024.

Joshua said: “What does boxing give me? It gives me an opportunity to work. I’m a contractor, this is a contract, this is my job so I’ve got an opportunity to work.

“You have to put a road map in front of a fighter and show them what is point one, point two, point three. It gives purpose and focus. I know what my year looks like.

“Give me the opportunity to fight Prenga, give me the opportunity to fight Fury, give me the opportunity to fight for the championship.

“It ain’t about looking past anyone, it’s just knowing your purpose and knowing your steps forward and moving up the ladder.

“I’ve got a clear goal, I know what this year is about, I know how tough this year is going to be. I’ve been training hard, that’s my life.”

Joshua refuses to celebrate that a deal has finally been struck to clash with Fury after a decade of failed negotiations.

He said: “I’m not pleased because the pleasure really comes after victory. Signing a contract doesn’t mean anything. Winning is the only true success.”