Joshua confirms July 25 ring return after car crash

British-Nigerian boxing sensation Anthony Joshua is poised for his comeback, with his July 25 ring return officially confirmed. This marks his first professional outing since a deeply personal tragedy in December 2025, when he was involved in a fatal accident in Nigeria that resulted in the deaths of two of his friends, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele. While Joshua sustained only minor injuries himself, the incident cast a shadow over his personal and professional life, leading to speculation about his future in the sport.

Joshua is scheduled to face Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of an Esports World Cup event. This bout is strategically positioned as a tune-up fight, paving the way for a highly anticipated showdown with Tyson Fury later in the year. Despite the personal turmoil, Joshua has dismissed any notion of stepping away from boxing. He has returned to rigorous training and secured a two-fight deal under the Riyadh Season banner, signaling his strong intent to reclaim his dominance in the heavyweight division.

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It’s no secret I’ve taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back into the ring, and today is the next step on that journey. I’m delighted to have agreed a multi-fight deal starting with July 25 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I’m looking forward to competing and picking up where I left off. As I said, the landlord will collect his rent. That is certain.

Following the confirmation of the Prenga fight by Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh, Joshua conveyed his determination. "It’s no secret I’ve taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back into the ring, and today is the next step on that journey," he stated, expressing his eagerness to compete and "pick up where I left off." Meanwhile, Prenga has issued a bold warning, viewing the fight as a life-changing opportunity and believing Joshua's team might be underestimating him. Prenga boasts an impressive record of 20 wins, all by knockout, against a single loss, making him a dangerous, albeit lesser-known, opponent.

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Anthony Joshua is a great fighter, but he made a terrible miscalculation in picking me as his opponent. This is the kind of fight that changes everything in my life and his. I know they have big plans ahead after this fight, and I believe they are overlooking me. I’m happy about that. I will derail their plans and shock the world this July in Saudi Arabia.