Boxing
Does Prenga have genuine chance to derail Fury-Joshua?
Joshua vs. Prenga: Only on DAZN PPV - Saturday
Although the odds are stacked against him, Kristian Prenga has vowed to derail Anthony Joshua’s hopes of a blockbuster showdown with Tyson Fury by pulling off an almighty upset on Saturday night.
If you focus purely on the win column on his record, which boasts 20 stoppages from 20 victories, you can see where the Albanian draws his confidence from.
Of course, you also have to keep in mind that when the big boys throw leather in boxing’s blue-riband division, one punch is all it can take for a heavyweight to send shockwaves around the world.
But can 35-year-old Prenga, who resides in New Jersey, really get the better of a two-time world champion?
Naturally, the immediate answer is ‘no’ — and it would take a brave man to bet against Joshua securing the win he needs in Saudi Arabia.
Admittedly, Prenga looks the part. Truth be told, he’s in far better shape than many of the heavyweights we’ve seen in action in recent years.
At 6ft 5in, he is only an inch shorter than Joshua — and while his physique may not be as impressive, he is certainly in shape.
But when you drill down into his record, you quickly realise he has never stepped into the ring before with anyone as good as his British opponent.
Tellingly, Saturday night represents the first time Prenga has ever been in a bout scheduled for 12 rounds — and he has never gone beyond eight as a pro.
That eight-round outing was actually the only time he has lost to date, when he was outpointed by Giovanni Auriemma in 2017.
And when you compare his CV to Joshua’s, they are simply worlds apart.
Along with beating boxing royalty in the shape of Wladimir Klitschko, AJ has twice gone the distance with former undisputed king Oleksandr Usyk.
Although he lost both dances with Usyk on points, wins over Joseph Parker, Andy Ruiz and Kubrat Pulev punctuate the Watford man’s pedigree.
So yes, like anyone who steps in the ring with the London 2012 Olympic gold medal winner, Prenga has a puncher’s chance of causing a shock.
But the likelihood is that Joshua, 36, will cruise through his comeback bout with the minimum of fuss.
And with Fury having successfully dealt with Mariusz Wach in Thailand, boxing fans should finally get to witness the fight they have craved for years before the end of 2026.
Joshua vs. Prenga - exclusively on DAZN PPV
Watch Anthony Joshua's hugely anticipated return to the ring versus Kristian Prenga on Saturday, July 25 only on DAZN PPV. Buy as a one-off PPV or included, along with Itauma vs. Hrgovic and Canelo vs. Mbilli PPVs, with a DAZN Ultimate Tier subscription.
