Joshua return the 'ultimate comeback' but a 'risk'

Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua's return to the ring is the "ultimate comeback" as the fighter prepares for a bout against Kristian Prenga in July. By Mandeep Sanghera BBC Sport journalist Anthony Joshua's return to the ring is the "ultimate comeback" but a "risk" given what he has been through in the last six months, says his promoter Eddie Hearn. The heavyweight will face Kristian Prenga in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 25 July before a much-anticipated showdown against fellow Briton Tyson Fury later this year. "We also know the risk of this is everything that he's coming back from," Hearn told BBC Sport. "They're calling this a comeback.

People might think that's quite strange because it's only six months after he last fought but it's actually the ultimate comeback. "The injuries that he sustained in that crash, a lot of people would never fight again and I think the strength that he has shown is quite incredible." 'Joshua warm-up defeat would scupper Fury fight' Dua Lipa declines offer to perform at Fury v Joshua Joshua is set for the biggest payday of his career for the fight with Fury but the latter's promoter, Frank Warren, has said the bout fight will not happen if Joshua loses to Prenga. "There is a lot of pressure going into this fight but there's also a lot of questions to be answered," said Hearn. "We want the best Anthony Joshua against Tyson Fury. We don't want a guy that, 'maybe he should've had a warm up fight - he wasn't quite ready'.

"We want to be 100% ready for that fight and, if he is, he'll beat him and he'll knock him out." Joshua's was beaten by Daniel Dubois in his last fight before beating Paul and his last win against a recognised opponent came against Otto Wallin in December 2023. "100%, I think there is no doubt about that," said Hearn when asked if Joshua's fight against Fury would be off he lost to Prenga. "Even before the incident in Nigeria, we were always having this fight. "We know it's dangerous, but if you can't beat that guy then you don't really deserve to be in a ring with Tyson Fury. "It's not about trying to protect money here - 'Oh we don't want to take that fight because if we get beat we won't get paid the money'.

"We have to look good in that fight because we want to beat Tyson Fury. We've got no interest in just turning up and taking the money." Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has been training with Joshua to help him come up with a gameplan to fight Fury. Ukraine's Usyk has beaten both Joshua and Fury on two occasions. It's the only personal fight AJ, I think, has ever had, probably since Dillian Whyte. We just want to make sure that he's ready to win." Pop star Dua Lipa was approached about performing at the Fury v Joshua fight but declined the offer, and is not expected to be involved in the event.

Hearn was bemused by questions about whether the fight would go ahead as a result of Dua Lipa's rejection and insisted that "the fight is still on". I don't want anyone," said Hearn. "I just want those two to get in the ring - that's what I want. I don't need music, give me the drama." Watch every Born to Brawl episode Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua's return to the ring is the "ultimate comeback" as the fighter prepares for a bout against Kristian Prenga in July. Joshua return the 'ultimate comeback' but a 'risk'