Anthony Joshua is set to step into the ring with Kristian Prenga on July 25 as a preparatory bout before his highly anticipated clash with Tyson Fury later this year. The British heavyweight’s camp believes the fight will help him shake off any lingering rust after a tragic car accident that claimed the lives of two close friends and left him emotionally drained.
However, prominent trainer Shane McGuigan has warned that this warm‑up could be a serious misstep, potentially highlighting cracks in Joshua’s preparation rather than smoothing them. McGuigan, who is widely regarded as one of the United Kingdom’s top boxing coaches, explained his concerns to Sky Sports.
He argued that a training camp without the familiar faces that usually surround a fighter can feel “lonely” and may not provide the psychological boost a champion needs. "If you’re doing the sport for love of the game, not just the money, the enjoyment factor isn’t the same as it once was," he said.
In his view, the only true test for Joshua before Fury should be the big fight itself, not a lower‑stakes contest that merely serves as a confidence builder. The trainer went on to describe Joshua as a "confidence fighter" – someone who thrives on big moments and needs a high‑profile challenge to feel truly ready.
Yet McGuigan doubts that a bout with Prenga will deliver the kind of mental sharpening Joshua requires. "It’s him going through another training camp without the people who used to be in his corner.
That’s going to be a horrible experience," he warned. He added that the emotional toll of witnessing the fatal accident, combined with the absence of his usual support network, could leave Joshua vulnerable and distracted. According to McGuigan, the risk isn’t just about a possible loss; it’s about the quality of the preparation.
"Is this going to make him a better fighter? No, I don’t think so.
It might expose a lot of cracks in what’s really going on," he said. In other words, a win against Prenga could mask deeper issues, while a poor performance might erode confidence ahead of the Fury showdown. Fury, for his part, could also be considering an interim bout, which adds another layer of complexity. McGuigan speculated that Fury might be using a tune‑up fight simply to stay active and keep the public’s attention, rather than as a genuine stepping stone.
"I think he does it just to wind them up," the trainer noted, suggesting that Fury’s motivations may be more about mind games than preparation. The history between the two heavyweights adds weight to the debate.
Joshua and Fury have been circling each other for years, with a potential undisputed title clash repeatedly postponed. In 2021, Joshua’s loss to Oleksandr Usyk forced a reshuffle that delayed a bout with Fury, leaving fans waiting even longer. McGuigan believes that if Fury were in Joshua’s position, he would have taken the fight immediately rather than opting for an extra warm‑up. "They missed the chance with Usyk and would be stupid to miss it again," he argued, emphasizing the fleeting nature of opportunities in professional boxing.
Beyond the physical preparation, pre‑fight mind games are already swirling. Decisions such as who will make the first entrance, who will be billed as the A‑side, and how promotional duties are split can become points of contention. McGuigan dismissed these concerns as ego‑driven, saying that the real focus should be on the 36 minutes inside the ropes. "It doesn’t matter who walks out first or whose name is on the top of the poster.
What matters is what happens when the bell rings," he asserted. In summary, McGuigan’s warning is clear: a warm‑up bout against Prenga may do more harm than good for Joshua’s preparation for Fury. The emotional aftermath of his friends’ tragic deaths, the loss of his usual training entourage, and the potential for a lackluster performance could all combine to expose vulnerabilities rather than conceal them.
While a victory could provide a superficial confidence boost, it might also mask underlying issues that only a true test against Fury can reveal. As the boxing world watches, the question remains whether Joshua will heed this advice or proceed with the planned tune‑up, risking the very showdown that fans have been waiting for for years.