Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are set to face off in tune-up fights this weekend, with both boxers looking to get back into form ahead of a potential showdown later this year.
Joshua will take on Kristian Prenga on Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, while Fury faces Mariusz Wach on Friday behind closed doors in Pattaya, Thailand. These fights are seen as the "fights before the fight," as the two British heavyweights prepare for their highly-anticipated collision course.
Joshua and Fury have been embroiled in a long-standing rivalry, with the two boxers repeatedly delaying their fight due to various reasons including injuries, contractual disputes, and personal commitments. The fight was initially expected to take place several years ago, but has been repeatedly pushed back.
Despite the lack of progress in their fight, Joshua and Fury are expected to face off in the ring later this year, with the winner potentially earning a spot in the ring against the winner of Errol Spence Jr. and Tim Tszyu.
Errol Spence Jr. returns to the ring this weekend after a three-year hiatus, facing off against Tim Tszyu in Sydney on Saturday. Spence, who has been struggling since a car crash in 2019, is under pressure to deliver a strong performance against the battle-hardened Tszyu.
Spence's trainer, Ronnie Shields, has confirmed that the boxer will hang up his gloves if he suffers defeat to Tszyu. Meanwhile, Tszyu is looking to breathe new life into his career, which has been struggling to gain momentum in recent years.
Zuffa Boxing's ninth show is set to take place in the basement of Madison Square Garden, with Edgar Berlanga facing off against Steven Butler in a stern test for the super middleweight. Berlanga is looking to move away from his flashy personality and focus on his ring IQ and skill.
Josh Kelly defends his IBF super welterweight title against Caoimhin Agyarko on the undercard of Joshua vs. Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Kelly, who dethroned Bakhram Murtazaliev in January, will have to be on form to negate the dangers that Agyarko brings.
Demetrius Andrade returns to the ring after a 32-month hiatus, facing off against an opponent to be named in a dust-shaker of a fight. Andrade, who lost comprehensively to David Benavidez in 2023, is looking to throw his hat back into the super middleweight ring.
Source: Yahoo Sports