Anthony Joshua risks Tyson Fury fight with Kristian Prenga bout

Anthony Joshua's long-awaited September clash with Tyson Fury hangs on a July warm-up fight that promoter Frank Warren believes carries genuine upset danger.

Warren told BBC Sport that a loss to Albania's Kristian Prenga would scupper the all-British heavyweight unification bout Joshua and Fury have circled for years. The July date is intended as a tune-up for Joshua, who has not fought since his October win over Daniel Dubois, but Warren sees risk in taking any opponent lightly before the biggest payday of Joshua's career.

Why the Prenga fight matters for Joshua vs Fury

Prenga enters as a heavy underdog, but Warren's warning reflects the economics of modern heavyweight boxing. Fury's camp structured the deal assuming Joshua arrives unbeaten, and a July stumble would void promotional commitments on both sides. Joshua has suffered upset losses before, most notably to Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019, a defeat that derailed a unification run and cost him three belts.

The September fight is expected to land at Wembley Stadium with a live gate north of 90,000. Warren and Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn have not yet confirmed the venue, but both sides are working toward a late summer or early autumn date. Joshua's team has not publicly addressed the Prenga matchup, though the Albanian's record suggests he will not threaten the former two-time champion.

Fury has been inactive since his December rematch loss to Oleksandr Usyk and is expected to take his own interim fight before facing Joshua. A hearing on Fury's next opponent is expected within the next fortnight.

Source: bbc.com