Anthony Joshua eyes 3rd world title

Former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has returned to full training as he begins a carefully structured comeback plan aimed at reclaiming world championship status and setting up a long-anticipated mega-fight with rival Tyson Fury in 2026.

The 36-year-old Olympic gold medallist (29–4, 26 KOs) has re-entered camp following a difficult period marked by setbacks inside and outside the ring. After rebounding from a September 2024 knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois with a stoppage win over Jake Paul in Miami in late 2025, Joshua’s momentum was later disrupted by a tragic car accident in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two close friends.

Now medically cleared and back in structured preparation, Joshua has begun working within a revamped training setup that includes collaboration with elite coaching influences from Oleksandr Usyk’s camp, as he looks to refine his technical approach ahead of a two-fight roadmap.

The first step in his 2026 campaign is scheduled for July 25 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where Joshua is expected to headline a DAZN broadcast card against Albania’s Kristian Prenga (17–1, 16 KOs). While viewed by some as a tune-up bout, Prenga arrives in strong knockout form, having built a long finishing streak that has elevated expectations for a competitive contest.

Prenga has already warned that he intends to derail plans for a blockbuster showdown, insisting that heavyweight boxing remains unpredictable and that Joshua cannot afford complacency ahead of higher-stakes fights.

If Joshua successfully clears the July assignment, attention will shift immediately to a long-discussed domestic super-fight against Fury later in 2026. The bout, backed by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, is reportedly agreed in principle and positioned for the final quarter of the year, with global streaming expected via Netflix in a landmark broadcasting arrangement.

Discussions are ongoing around potential venues, with major stadiums such as Wembley Stadium and Croke Park among the leading options for what is being billed as one of the biggest events in British and Irish boxing history.

Fury, who holds a professional record of 35–2–1 (24 KOs), returned from a brief retirement in 2025 and has also outlined plans for an interim bout before facing Joshua, keeping both fighters active ahead of the anticipated clash.

For Joshua, the path is now clearly defined: navigate a risky return fight in Riyadh, then move toward a career-defining encounter with Fury that could reshape his legacy and potentially position him for another shot at undisputed heavyweight glory.