ANTHONY Joshua’s has officially announced his return to the ring as talks of a blockbuster showdown with Tyson Fury continue to gather momentum.
Joshua confirmed this in Matchroom statement, that the fight with Prenga is the first in a multi-fight deal that could ultimately lead to a long-awaited clash with British rival Tyson Fury.
“It’s no secret I’ve taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back into the ring,” Joshua said in a statement from his promoter, Matchroom. AP also quoted him as saying, “Today is the next step on that journey.”
The former two-time heavyweight champion has not fought since his sixth-round knockout victory over Jake Paul in Miami last December, after which he was involved in a serious car accident in Nigeria.
The crash left him with minor injuries and tragically claimed the lives of two close friends, casting doubt over his boxing future.
The ICIR reported that the crash occurred around 11 a.m. on December 29, in the Makun area, near Sagamu, when a Lexus SUV conveying Joshua reportedly collided with a stationary truck that left two people dead.
The crash occurred just days after Joshua returned to the spotlight with a sixth-round knockout victory over YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in a high-profile bout held in Miami, United States.
However, in recent months, the 36-year-old has been steadily working his way back, including training sessions with former rival Oleksandr Usyk as he prepares for his comeback.
During his time away, Joshua has remained active around the sport as he attended Deontay Wilder’s recent fight against Derek Chisora in London and was also ringside at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this month to watch Fury come out of a 15-month retirement and defeat Arslanbek Makhmudov.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.