Joshua’s return has more purpose than ever

“For me, this is one of the great comebacks. We’re incredibly proud of what he’s done to get back to the ring physically and emotionally,” Hearn said at today’s kick-off conference.

“Boxing is his goal, boxing is his peace. I see a guy who is more driven and more focused than ever to not only knock Prenga down on July 25th. Not just to knock Tyson Fury down, but also to become world heavyweight champion again.

“The dream now feels like it has more purpose than it ever had. As his promoter and his friend, we are incredibly proud of him. There is a lot of media here today talking about Joshua carrying the sport of boxing. It was never his intention. The reality is, the fact is, the reason we are here and the reason we have this great energy in the Riyadh sea and the purpose of this man is the power of the sport and the purpose of this man. last 15 years, from an Olympic gold in London to a heavyweight champion.”

Hearn also credited Joshua with helping turn British heavyweight boxing into a stadium attraction before Saudi Arabia became the center of the sport’s biggest events.

“Even the Dillian Whyte fight at the O2. Stadium boxing wasn’t a thing until this guy started filling them up,” Hearn said.

“And we know the risks coming up on July 25. Everyone knows the fight with Tyson Fury is signed. Everyone knows it’s the biggest fight in boxing. But there’s a guy (Prenga), who raises the bar every time they step up to fight Joshua.”

The Fury fight may already be signed, but Hearn’s message was that Joshua still has business to take care of first. Prenga is largely unknown to casual fans, yet he stands between Joshua and the biggest payday of his career. One mistake on July 25 can change everything.