Promoter Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua is fully driven to reclaim the world heavyweight crown and secure a blockbuster clash with Tyson Fury in 2026.
Anthony Joshua is rebuilding after a turbulent spell that included a defeat to Daniel Dubois and a serious car crash in Nigeria. Speaking to BoxingScene, Hearn insisted the former two-time champion has returned to training with renewed purpose.
Naija News reports that Joshua is set to face Kristian Prenga in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 25 July before a long-anticipated showdown with Tyson Fury later in the year.
“His [Joshua’s] endgame is to win the world heavyweight championship again,” Hearn said.
The promoter outlined a clear and demanding route back to the summit. Joshua must first deal with his next opponent before any super fight can be finalised.
Hearn said, “But definitely there are a couple of things that he wants to do. He wants to beat Tyson Fury and he wants to win the world heavyweight championship again. So our plan right now is the plan that we can see that’s in front of us, which is Prenga and Tyson Fury.
“We’ve got to win those two fights. If he wins those two fights, he can walk into any fight, any championship that he wants. But we’ve got to win those fights.”
The promoter also said the early signs from camp have been encouraging, pointing to Joshua’s commitment in sparring and training sessions. However, he warned that the real test will only arrive once the bell rings.
“Everything that we’re seeing at the moment, his desire, his sparring, his training, looks great,” said Hearn. “But until you get in there, that’s when you’ve got to process everything that’s happened in your life and perform.
“I know everyone just presumes he’s going to walk in and smash Prenga to pieces, but I’ll be very pleased if he does, because there’s a lot of pressure going into this fight. Not just what’s coming after, but what he’s been through as well. And it’ll be a very emotional night.”
