Anthony Joshua declares he’s stronger than ever as Tyson Fury showdown against Christian Prenga kicks off Boxing News

Where he feels he’s on his own and doing what he loves, Anthony Joshua is taking every step of his preparation for his showdown with Tyson Fury.

The two-time heavyweight champion has been away from boxing for a long time following the tragic death of two friends in a car accident in Nigeria.

Joshua will make his first appearance in Jeddah in December 2025 against Albanian Kristian Prenga after a victory over Jake Paul in Jeddah.

Talking exclusively with Sky SportsJoshua explained how he will be stronger – physically and mentally – than ever when he returns to the ring.

“I feel hard,” he said. “This is where I want to be. I’m very grateful for this opportunity. It’s nice to do what I love.

“Life throws a lot of obstacles at us. I am standing before you now as a boxer, but something is happening in my life. I think this is the right place for me.

“I’m building myself to be stronger than ever because I know I am – not just physically, because that’s normal, but mentally. I’ve realized that I’m a lot stronger than I thought.

“I got into boxing to reshape my mind and identity, to make me a better person. It’s doing the same for me now. It’s reshaping my life and giving me purpose.

“It’s funny because the same reason I got into boxing is what’s helping me now. Boxing has never been about just being a champion, it’s about a championship mentality.”

‘Confidence comes from your training’

Prenga represents the final step in Joshua’s journey towards a long-awaited fight with British heavyweight rival Fury.

Seven months would pass by the time Joshua returned to the ring on fight night.

He hopes that the Prenga bout provides ample opportunity to sharpen up, although he himself admits that the training camp, where spells working under Oleksandr Usyk, will be more significant.

“I want to introduce some combinations,” he said. “I want to get some power punches.

“What I want to see is my eyes focused on changing his body language, breaking him down and then being able to execute what I can. I can punch really hard, and when I do that it will give me confidence going into the Fury fight.

“Confidence comes from your training. Fighting is just the execution of that, so it’s not just fighting that gives me confidence.

“These seven weeks are going by because every fighter knows it’s tough. You’ve got partners – I’ve got four or five good guys waiting for me – so it’s not just a fight.

“I know what I’m going to do in the fight, but can I do it every day in the gym? Going through this training camp is going to be the way I prepare on July 25 to be the winner.”

Joshua sheds light on the inner workings of a deal brokered by boxing kingpin Turki Alalsikh that finally made a generation-defining fight – a decade in the making – a reality.

“It’s amazing,” added Joshua.

“Your Highness and my management, Matchroom Boxing, sat down together and went through the hard-hate. They managed to get two fights together; the first against Prenga, the second against Fury.

“I signed that contract and I’m happy to be in a position where I know where I am now and what I have to do until the end of the year.

“I’m obviously not ignoring anyone, but this is the contract that was presented to me. It’s good to get some work done. I have about eight weeks now until I fight Prenga. He’s a good, lively opponent. I’ll do my best and then move on.”

‘Now feels like the right time’ – AJ Fury wants face-off

Joshua’s overdue showdown with Fury gained traction when he watched the self-styled Gypsy King’s victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov from ringside in April.

Fury called Joshua out after his unanimous decision win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, only for AJ to decline his invitation to join him in the ring.

“The owner of the house is not moving,” Joshua explained. “There was no rent to collect then – contracts were not signed or agreed.

“We sat down afterwards and I said, look, I don’t want to get in the ring and lead anybody on. Nothing was agreed upon. I wasn’t there to create hype.

“I was there on a scouting mission. That was my purpose. I achieved it. I saw what I saw. Then there was all this other stuff. I didn’t think it was the right thing to do, but now I’m happy to talk about it.”

With a two-fight contract signed, sealed and delivered, Joshua is ready to face off with Fury.

“If Fury was with me now, I’d face off because now there’s a reason,” he continued. “It was argued before – it wasn’t the right time – but now it is.

“If he’s here, if he wants to step into the ring and I’m victorious, 100 percent he can step into my ring, into my environment.

“I’m inviting him to my house. He can come to the landlord’s house. He’s more than welcome any time.”