Anthony Joshua insists Kristian Prenga is not a tune-up fight but aims to beat him "in good fashion"
Anthony Joshua insists Prenga is not “a tune-up fight" ahead of heavyweight return
Watford warrior Anthony Joshua has insisted he is treating his upcoming clash with Kristian Prenga as a serious test rather than a routine comeback, despite widespread suggestions that the bout is purely designed to set up a future showdown with Tyson Fury.
The former two-time unified heavyweight champion returns to the ring on July 25 against the unbeaten Albanian, with many viewing the contest as a routine warm-up towards one of British boxing's biggest potential fights.
Speaking exclusively to Combat Evolved in association with Pure Digital PR, 36-year-old Joshua said, "I don't see it as a tune-up fight, and I don't see it as the biggest challenge of my career. It's a fight."
The clash has been widely billed as a stepping stone, with AJ reportedly in line to face Tyson Fury later this year if he comes through the contest successfully. The pair were filmed face to face ringside when Fury made his own comeback earlier this year, fuelling speculation that a long-awaited domestic showdown is edging closer.
But the Olympic gold medallist insists he is taking nothing for granted against Prenga, who boasts a perfect knockout record of 20 wins from 20 fights and remains unbeaten as a professional.
"You've got to believe in yourself, man," Joshua said. "I'm working hard, you've got to say how you feel. I want to win, I want to do what I'm supposed to do. It's nothing personal against Prenga, it could be anyone. It's not a warm-up fight, it's someone I really want to beat and I want to do it in good fashion as well."
The 36-year-old, who has previously held world titles and headlined stadium shows at Wembley and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, says this training camp has been about more than simply getting another victory.
"I want to go in there and showcase my skills," he said. "It's what this camp is about, it's about improving my skills, I want to go in there and show how good I am."
It's a return that carries extra significance for Joshua, who has been working his way back following a difficult period away from the sport. Promoter Eddie Hearn has described the comeback as both personal and professional for the former champion, while Joshua has spoken openly about how important boxing remains to him.
Despite his confidence, Joshua stopped short of predicting a stoppage, pointing to Prenga's unusual background as a former kickboxer who has competed across multiple combat disciplines.
"Only God knows," he said. "I'm just working towards a victory, but predicting how that victory comes, I don't have a clue. He used to be a kickboxer, not MMA, but he's got a mixed martial arts background. He's mixed a few different disciplines, kicking, punching, so we'll see how that crosses over."
Prenga, meanwhile, has been equally confident during the build-up, insisting he has never trained with greater focus and promising to deliver a performance capable of upsetting one of the sport's biggest names.
For Joshua, victory would maintain momentum towards a possible blockbuster meeting with Fury later this year. For Prenga, it represents the biggest opportunity of his professional career and the chance to announce himself on the world stage.
