Anthony Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) returns to the ring on Saturday, July 25, facing Kristian Prenga (20-1, 20 KOs) in the main event of a 13 fight card at the Jeddah Superdome in Saudi Arabia. The event, billed as The Comeback and streaming worldwide on DAZN, carries two world title fights in support: Hamzah Sheeraz defends the WBO super middleweight championship against Simon Zachenhuber, and Josh Kelly makes the first defense of his IBF junior middleweight title against Caoimhin Agyarko. Turki Alalshikh announced the full lineup on Monday, per The Ring, with prelims beginning at 9 AM ET and the main card at 1 PM ET.

Joshua vs. Prenga

The fight is Joshua’s first since he stopped Jake Paul in six rounds in Miami last December. Roughly ten days after that bout, Joshua survived a car crash in Nigeria that killed two members of his team, strength coach Sina Ghami and trainer Latif “Latz” Ayodele. The 36 year old has spent his training camp in Valencia, Spain, working alongside former opponent Oleksandr Usyk, and the bout was moved from Riyadh to the Jeddah Superdome earlier this summer. His last competitive heavyweight fight remains the September 2024 knockout loss to Daniel Dubois.

“It’s a massive year for me,” Joshua said at the launch press conference in London. “It ain’t about looking past anyone. It’s about knowing your purpose. I know how tough this year’s going to be. I’m the man for the job.” He continued: “I know exactly what I need to do. I’m not worried about respecting this particular opponent, but when I look at myself, I know I’m going to deliver. This is my division. July 25 in Jeddah, the best man will win. I’m going to go in there and show how good I am,” per NY Fights.

Promoter Eddie Hearn framed the return in personal terms. “Boxing is his purpose, boxing is his peace,” Hearn said at the same event, adding that he believes fans “will see the very best Anthony Joshua in Jeddah on July 25.”

Prenga, a 35 year old Albanian based in Englewood, New Jersey, turned professional in 2016 and has stopped every opponent he has beaten, though his recent opposition sits far below world level. “I have great respect for Anthony Joshua and everything he has achieved in boxing,” Prenga said at the announcement. “Everyone has their moment, and I believe this is mine.”

The winner of the proposed Joshua vs. Tyson Fury fight sequence takes shape this weekend from both ends: Fury faces Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Friday night, one day before Joshua’s return, with the two Britons targeting a fourth quarter meeting.

Sheeraz vs. Zachenhuber

Sheeraz (23-0-1, 19 KOs) makes the first defense of the WBO super middleweight title he won in May, when he stopped Alem Begic in the second round in Egypt on the Usyk vs. Verhoeven undercard. The 27 year old Briton has been ordered to defend against No. 2 ranked contender Jacob Bank, who fights unbeaten Pawel August elsewhere on Saturday’s card, and Sheeraz has openly campaigned for a fight with Canelo Alvarez.

Zachenhuber (28-1, 19 KOs), ranked No. 7 by the WBO, takes the assignment on a rapid turnaround. The German lost a decision to August in April, then rebounded with a fifth round stoppage of Armin Ajrulai on June 27, less than a month before this title shot, confirmed by Matchroom. The selection has drawn criticism from fans who view it as a safe first defense, a reaction the champion will have a chance to answer in the ring.

Kelly vs. Agyarko

Kelly (18-1-1, 9 KOs) defends the IBF junior middleweight title for the first time since his majority decision upset of Bakhram Murtazaliev in January in Newcastle, a win in which the Sunderland man climbed off the canvas late to hand the Russian his first professional defeat. Kelly has won eight straight since his lone loss, to David Avanesyan in 2021.

Agyarko (18-0), the unbeaten Belfast challenger, gets his first world title opportunity after a scheduled IBF eliminator earlier this year fell apart at the last moment. “It was disappointing the IBF tried to order another final eliminator against Murtazaliev even though I’d done everything that was asked of me: turned up and was told 25 minutes before the weigh-in I wasn’t going to be fighting,” Agyarko said, per AOL