Prenga is ready to shock the boxing world and defeat the heavily favored former two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony “AJ” Joshua when they fight on July 25th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Their 12-round main event bout from the Jeddah Superdome will be televised live on DAZN Ultimate/DAZN Pay-Per-View.

Prenga has won 16 in a row (with his lone loss coming in 2017), all by knockout, as he fought around the world: Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, Colombia, and the United States, primarily in New Jersey, where he now lives (with seven of his last nine bouts taking place). The 35-year-old orthodox fighter from Albania won the vacant NABA heavyweight belt with a third-round knockout over Samuel Crossed in March 2023. He defeated veteran Joey Dawejko via a fifth-round technical knockout in October 2024. Prenga has not been able to obtain a significant fight until now. After signing with New York City-based attorney Keith Sullivan as his manager this past February, he quickly got that career-defining fight (against Joshua) he had waited for his entire career (10 years).

Joshua knocked out Jake Paul in the sixth round in his last fight in December. He has won five of his last six bouts. This lone loss during this stretch was to former heavyweight world titleholder and fellow countryman (England), Daniel Dubois, in September 2024, for the IBF belt. The 36-year-old orthodox boxer, who is ranked in the top ten in all four sanctioning bodies (third by the WBO, fourth by the WBA, and fifth by the WBC and IBF), won his first world title when he knocked out Charles Martin in the second round in 2016. Joshua made six world title defenses before being knocked out in the seventh round by Andy Ruiz in 2019. He beat Ruiz in the immediate rematch and made one world title defense, after which the former undefeated unified world champion Oleksandr Usyk beat him in back-to-back world title bouts.

Even though Prenga is taking a massive step in competition against Joshua, who has faced much better opposition than he has, he firmly believes that his power, particularly his right hand, will help him prevail against Joshua, who has struggled at times with heavy-handed fighters. The former two-time European kickboxing champion has a perfect 100 percent knockout ratio. Of the 20 fighters Prenga has knocked out, 17 have come inside the first three rounds. Seven of his knockouts have come in the first round, including his last three bouts (in his last outing in February, he obtained a first-round knockout over Joe Jones).

Prenga was gracious enough to take time out of his busy training camp to discuss his fight with Joshua, what it will mean to pull off this massive upset, fighting in Saudi Arabia, his knockout power, and much more.

James Stillerman: With this being the biggest fight of your career, are you doing anything different in training camp?

Kristian Prenga: I am training even harder [with his longtime trainer, Muhammad Salaam, at his gym in Edgewater, New Jersey] because knocking out Joshua will bring me closer to my goal of becoming the first Albanian world heavyweight champion.

James Stillerman: What is it like to represent your home country of Albania on the world stage?

Kristian Prenga: Representing my country in a big fight like this will show the world how tough Albanians are. My fans have been supporting me for so long in Albania and the United States. I will be fighting Joshua with all of Albania behind me.

James Stillerman: How do you see your fight against Joshua playing out?

Kristian Prenga: He made a big mistake fighting me, and he is going to find out in the ring. My arm will be raised after I knock out Joshua.

James Stillerman: What do you need to do to defeat Joshua?

Kristian Prenga: I have power, and I am going to win. I will take him to uncomfortable places and be victorious on July 25th.

James Stillerman: What will it mean to you to pull off this upset?

Kristian Prenga: It will mean the world to me. This is why I have worked so hard and sacrificed so much for so long.

James Stillerman: Are you excited to be fighting in Saudi Arabia?

Kristian Prenga: Most of the top fights are being held in Saudi Arabia, and I am honored to be fighting Joshua there. [This will be Joshua’s fifth time fighting in Saudi Arabia, and Prenga’s first].

James Stillerman: What are the keys to your knockout power?

Kristian Prenga: I hit hard and take no shortcuts in or out of the ring. I also have a strong work ethic, and I am very disciplined.

James Stillerman: How would you assess your performance in your last fight against Jones?

Kristian Prenga: I did my job and kept my boxing dreams alive.

James Stillerman: Anything you want to tell your fans?

Kristian Prenga: Thanks for supporting me and watch me shock the world when I knock out Joshua.