Anthony Joshua fights Albania's Kristian Prenga in Riyadh on Saturday, July 25, in a comeback bout branded simply "The Comeback." The 36-year-old arrived in the Saudi capital on July 22, and a pre-fight news conference followed in Jeddah on Thursday. BBC Sport

Joshua's professional record reads 29 wins — 26 of them inside the distance — against four defeats. Matchroom Boxing. He has not fought since a car crash in Nigeria last December killed two of his closest friends and team members, Sina Ghami and Latif "Latz" Ayodele. The tragedy kept him out of the ring for months. BBC Sport

At the Jeddah press conference, Joshua appeared relaxed — laughing with reporters, thanking travelling fans, and encouraging a sizeable Albanian contingent to bring their "energy" to the venue. He told the room he has been working since January, keeping his head down and "aligning all my stars." BBC Sport

"I'm fully focused," Joshua said. "I understand there's a big picture. The goal is to conquer the universe, right? But first we must conquer Earth. And this is my target here." BBC Sport

The Earth, in this case, is Kristian Prenga. A Joshua victory would move him to the brink of the fight British boxing fans have craved for years: an all-British heavyweight showdown with Tyson Fury. That contest is targeted for broadcast on Netflix in late 2026. MMA Junkie

Fury has his own warm-up to navigate first. He faces Poland's Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Friday, the night before Joshua steps through the ropes. Win or lose, both men's results will shape what comes next — but the expectation is that two victories set the stage for a fight that has been teased, negotiated, and talked about for the better part of a decade. BBC Sport

The July 25 undercard carries its own weight. Two world title fights sit beneath the main event: Hamzah Sheeraz against Simon Zachenhuber, and Josh Kelly versus Caomhin Agyarko. Matchroom Boxing. The full card streams live worldwide on DAZN. Matchroom Boxing

For fans, the appeal is obvious. Joshua is a two-time unified heavyweight champion — meaning he held more than one of the four major world titles at the same time. At 36, with four losses on his record and the grief of losing close friends still fresh, this is a fighter trying to rebuild not just a career but a sense of purpose. Whether "The Comeback" becomes the first chapter of a Fury storyline or a cautionary tale about what happens when you look past the man in front of you, Saturday night in Riyadh will offer the first answer.