Joshua is scheduled to face Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. According to Hearn, speaking to Sky Sports, Joshua is in the “best place mentally” since his professional debut in 2012. This renewed motivation comes in the wake of a tragic car accident in Nigeria last December, which claimed the lives of two members of his training team.
“He’s now talking about the next three years in the ring. It was a year ago that we were talking about potentially two fights and then go off to a happy retirement,” Hearn stated. To support this extended tenure, Joshua has linked up with the training team behind Oleksandr Usyk, aiming to improve his durability and longevity at age 36.
While Hearn emphasizes Joshua’s psychological readiness, industry observers note that the Prenga fight serves primarily as a tactical return. Following his 2024 stoppage loss to Daniel Dubois and a victory over Jake Paul, questions regarding Joshua’s defensive vulnerabilities remain. Critics argue that gym performance and promoter optimism cannot fully simulate the pressure of a high-level heavyweight bout, leaving the true state of Joshua’s chin and reaction to adversity to be tested only under live fire.
Beyond the immediate challenge of Prenga, the broader trajectory for Joshua remains anchored in a long-anticipated clash with Tyson Fury, provided he clears his upcoming opponent in Jeddah.