Kristian Prenga

Bio

Right then, let's talk about Kristian Prenga. The Albanian-American heavyweight is one of those names British fans haven't heard much about — and that's about to change in a hurry, because he's the man Anthony Joshua has chosen for his July 25 comeback fight in Riyadh. Make no mistake, this isn't a soft touch. Prenga is 20-1 with every single one of his 20 wins coming inside the distance. That's a 100% knockout ratio for the fights he's actually won — and it's why the Saudis green-lit him for the AJ tune-up.

Born in Albania and now based out of New York City, Prenga turned pro in 2017 and built his record fighting on small US shows up the East Coast. The lone defeat on his ledger came early in his career and was avenged comprehensively. Since then he's been a steady, brutal puncher — a true heavyweight hitter who tends to find the shot early and end the night. He's never been ten rounds, never been the distance against any kind of name, and that's the test Joshua is built to give him.

Stylistically Prenga is a proper old-school heavyweight — comes forward, big right hand, solid jab, decent body work when he chooses to use it. The questions are around stamina, ring IQ at world-class level, and what happens when he gets caught clean by someone with AJ's pop. But anyone writing him off as cannon fodder is missing the point. He's exactly the kind of opponent that can ruin a comeback if the comeback isn't sharp. July 25 in Riyadh, with the Fury fight already signed for November — Joshua cannot afford to be anything less than perfect against the Albanian Eagle.