Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has rejected claims that his upcoming fight against Kristian Prenga is simply a tune-up for a potential showdown with Tyson Fury, stressing that he is approaching the contest with complete focus.
Joshua is scheduled to face the unbeaten Albanian at the Jeddah Superdome in Saudi Arabia on July 25, with many boxing observers viewing the bout as a stepping stone to a long-awaited clash with Fury.
Prenga enters the fight with an impressive 20-1 professional record, having secured all 20 of his victories by knockout. The Albanian has also expressed confidence that he can derail Joshua’s future plans with a surprise victory.
Despite the speculation surrounding a possible Fury fight, Joshua insisted his attention remains firmly on Prenga.
He said he does not consider the contest either a warm-up bout or the toughest challenge of his career, but simply another important fight that deserves maximum respect.
Joshua explained that his goal is to deliver a dominant performance and continue proving he belongs among the elite heavyweights.
The British boxer also noted that he intends to display the progress made during his training camp rather than merely secure a victory.
Speaking about his opponent, Joshua acknowledged Prenga’s combat sports background, noting that the Albanian previously competed in kickboxing and has experience across different fighting disciplines. However, he maintained that his focus is on doing everything necessary to emerge victorious.
A win for Joshua would strengthen calls for a blockbuster meeting with Tyson Fury, while a defeat would hand Prenga the biggest victory of his professional boxing career.