Former world heavyweight champions Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have agreed to a long-awaited showdown later this year, promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed on Monday.
“Signed, sealed, delivered! AJ v Fury is on!” Hearn announced in a post on Instagram, igniting excitement among boxing fans worldwide.
The announcement comes as Joshua prepares for a return to the ring against Kristian Prenga in Riyadh on July 25, his first fight since a car accident last December that claimed the lives of two of his close friends.
Prenga, a 35-year-old Albanian based in the United States, is a former kickboxer with a professional boxing record of 20 wins and one defeat since turning professional in 2016.
The bout, tagged “The Comeback,” was unveiled by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority chairman, Turki Alalshikh, and will be broadcast globally on DAZN.
Turki also hinted at the blockbuster Joshua–Fury clash in a message on X, stating that the deal had been signed, while Ring Magazine reported that the fight is expected to take place in the fourth quarter of 2026, potentially on Netflix.
Joshua, 36, has a record of 28 wins and four losses, with his most recent outing a sixth-round knockout victory over American Jake Paul in Miami on December 19.
Reflecting on his return, Joshua said he had taken time to rebuild and refocus, expressing delight over a new multi-fight deal starting with the July 25 bout, while Hearn revealed the fight is intended as a tune-up ahead of a potential clash with Fury later in the year, possibly in November.
