By Kenneth Madaki
Albanian heavyweight , Kristian Prenga, has issued a bold warning to British-Nigerian, Anthony Joshua, promising to deliver something the former world champion has never felt in the ring when the pair meet in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on July 25.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the bout, the 20-1 (20 knockouts) Prenga, who is based in New Jersey, made clear his intention to cause an upset despite being widely regarded as the underdog.
“I train hard. I am ready. I promise you, if I catch you, you’ve never felt anything like my punch. I promise it. You’re a great fighter, but in the ring, I don’t have respect for nobody,” Prenga said.
The 35-year-old, who stands six feet five inches tall, has been in devastating form in recent years. Though he suffered an eight-round points defeat early in his career to the then 1-2 Giovanni Auriemma, only one of his next 15 opponents made it past the third round — Joey Dawejko, who survived to the fifth.
“I think I’m going to shock the world,” Prenga added.
Joshua, for his part, has declared he is mentally and physically stronger than ever as he prepares for his comeback. The two-time world champion, who has not fought since December 2025, told Sky Sports that boxing had given him renewed purpose following the tragic deaths of two friends in a car accident in Nigeria late last year.
“I feel solid. This is where I want to be. I’m very grateful for this opportunity. It’s nice doing what I love.
“I’m building myself up to be stronger than I’ve ever been — not only physically, because that’s natural, but mentally. I’ve realised I’m a lot stronger than I ever thought I was,” Joshua said.