British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua is set to return to the ring on Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, against Albania's Kristian Prenga.
The bout marks his first contest since a tragic car crash in December 2025 that killed two of his close friends and team members.
The former two-time world champion sustained minor injuries on December 29, 2025, near Lagos, Nigeria, when his vehicle collided with a parked truck.
The crash claimed the lives of Sina Ghami, his long-time sport rehabilitation coach, and Latif Ayodele, a personal trainer.
Emotional Journey and Documentary
Joshua's upcoming fight is his first since his victory over Jake Paul just days before the accident, and his first competitive match since losing to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September 2024.
Ahead of his return, DAZN and VOXY Media House released a 30-minute documentary titled "The Come Back," which details his training camp and emotional journey following the tragedy.
Joshua expressed the emotional difficulty of coping with the loss while maintaining his training schedule. "It's tough, every time I think about it, it hurts," he said.
The boxer acknowledged that keeping his mind active has helped him process the situation. "Even talking about it now...
pictures… it hurts but I keep my mind occupied you know," said Joshua.
Joshua noted that he is delaying fully confronting the tragedy until after his competitive commitments.
"If I stop, you let it sink in and I'm not ready for it to sink in yet," he said.
Focus on Prenga and Future Plans
Looking ahead to his performance, Joshua admitted feeling subtle pre-fight anxiety while focusing on his responsibilities to his team.
"It's competition at the highest level," he said.
He emphasized his motivation to deliver a strong performance in honor of those around him.
"I want to perform for my team, I want to make them proud and make myself proud," said Joshua.
The heavyweight remains clear on his mindset despite the mixed emotions. "It's a balance of nerves but I understand what my job is.
[I have] a lot of understanding and clarity on what I have to do," he said.
A potential showdown with Tyson Fury remains on the horizon later in the year, provided both fighters secure victories in their upcoming bouts.
Fury is set to fight Mariusz Wach in Pattaya, Thailand, on Friday.
Addressing the potential multi-bout year and future matchup against Fury, Joshua insisted he remains fully focused on his immediate opponent.
"I'm not overlooking Prenga. This is a big deal for me this fight.
God willing, everything works out," he said.
He added that a face-off with Fury could happen shortly after this weekend's events conclude.
"If it's not Saturday night where we face-off, it will be within the next four to six weeks," said Joshua.
Joshua highlighted the long-term impact a victory would have on his boxing career. "It's a big mark to leave on the sport.
If I win on Saturday and I could win later in the year, it's massive," he said.
He expressed confidence that his career path remains clear if he executes his game plan.
"The stars are aligned and I have to make sure that I'm on course. It's out there for me to go and do," said Joshua.
Joshua concluded by emphasizing his resolve to face the challenge ahead.
"It's going to be challenging but I can be the coward or the hero and I have to decide what I want to be," he said.
Documentary filmmaker Joe Mitchinson reflected on the personal connection the crew had with the team members who passed away.
"Working with Anthony and his team for over a decade has allowed me to witness moments that most people never see.
Knowing Sina and Lats personally made this documentary deeply meaningful for me.
Every decision behind the camera was driven by a desire to tell Anthony’s story truthfully and respectfully, while doing justice to everyone involved," said Mitchinson, co-founder of VOXY Media House.
Documentary director Ryan Connor emphasized the broader message of resilience depicted in the film. "This project was much more than another documentary.
From the very beginning, I knew it had to be handled with care and respect.
Everyone who took part spoke from the heart, and I believe that honesty is what will resonate with audiences around the world.
My hope is that people don’t just see Anthony Joshua returning to the ring.
They see someone choosing to keep moving forward after one of the hardest chapters of his life.
If this documentary helps anyone who is dealing with loss or their own personal struggles, then that’s a really special thing," said Connor, co-founder of VOXY Media House.
