Boxing
What can Joshua take from Usyk team-up before Prenga battle?
Joshua vs. Prenga: Only on DAZN PPV - Saturday
Anthony Joshua will hope to show a new side to his game when he returns against Kristian Prenga in Jeddah this weekend.
The two-time heavyweight champion returns for a Saudi Arabia blockbuster bout, live on DAZN Pay-Per-View and Ultimate.
Not only will Joshua's latest test mark his first bout of 2026 though - it is the first real test of time spent with Oleksandr Usyk.
The Briton stunned the world when he teamed up with his former rival, but a genuine friendship appears to have blossomed.
What has changed to create AJ 2.0?
Watch: Joshua explains life improvements for new form
Success for Joshua here will tee up a super-bout against Tyson Fury later this year too - a man only bested by Usyk as well.
So, the question is this - what has he learned from his time with the Ukrainian in camp? DAZN News tries to crack the code.
When did Joshua and Usyk first work together?
Having taken time away following a September 2024 loss to Daniel Dubois, Joshua had faced questions over his next steps.
But when he took a short-notice bout with Jake Paul in December last year, the star revealed he had been working with Usyk.
Originally intended to be just a short-term spell at the latter's base in Spain, the pair teamed up once again earlier this year.
Both men have been spotted across Europe together, including in Usyk's native Ukraine, ahead of the latter's own bouts too.
It means the duo are approaching almost three-quarters of a year together in lockstep, with plenty of praise for each other.
Why did Joshua choose to work with Usyk?
Speaking with DAZN's Ade Oladipo ahead of his bout with Prenga, Joshua admitted that there was a multitude of factors in play.
"I wanted to get out of the UK, focus, it’s a lot of pressure being at home," he sated. "I feel the level of focus I need. [It] was good.
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"He’s the best in the world, so let’s go and see what he’s doing, what barriers he’s breaking, what boundaries he’s pushing.
"If I can emulate that in training, I think the results will follow. One of my issues was conditioning. But their condition is supreme
"We’re talking about boxing conditioning. I’ve been there for weeks and weeks sometimes and we don’t even hit a pad."
What can Joshua take from Usyk here?
Joshua will have learned plenty from sharing the ring with Usyk when the pair played out their fine duology some years ago now.
But it will be in the energy and the nuances of how he deploys it that the Briton can find a new level against Prenga this week.
The star's willingness to acknowledge his own flaws after bruising losses to the Ukrainian and Dubois means he can still change.
That will be something he is keen to show against the Albanian, after so many months out - and it can be a statement turn too.
Showcase what he has taken from his time with Usyk, and Joshua might just have an ace he can play against Fury down the line.
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.
