Anthony Joshua vs Kristian Prenga LIVE: AJ returns to ring after car crash against little-known knockout artist – as he bids to set up long-awaited clash with Tyson Fury

Tonight is going to be a poignant one for Joshua.

For the first time since he lost his friends Latif Ayodele (centre) and Sina Ghami (right), he will step into the ring.

The floor of that ring bears the name of his former personal trainer and strength coach, and so do his shorts.

Joshua says he now looks at life differently, but walking away from the sport he loves was never a consideration. This business, he says, is his therapy.

Sunderland-born boxer Josh Kelly has retained his IBF junior middleweight title against Caoimhin Agyarko by unanimous decision.

The judges scored the fight 114-113, 115-112 and 115-11 in his favour.

Let’s just say he took a battering despite his win.

‘I thank my Lord and saviour Jesus Christ,’ he began.

‘That was a messy, hard fight.’

That’s putting it one way, Josh!

Fury held up his end of the bargain in a low-key event in Pattaya, Thailand, which is known for its Muay Thai contests.

He dominated and claimed a seventh-round TKO against heavy underdog Mariusz Wach, building his fitness.

It ws largely one-way traffic, with Fury taking his professional record to 36-2-1. Wach, feeling worse for wear after a punishing stint in the ring, signalled for the fight to end, and officialls mercifully ended it before the eighth round began.

For Joshua and Fury, these fights are more a formality than a threat… but you never know what can happen.

Tonight isn’t just about keeping his name in the papers for Joshua, or even setting up that head-to-head with Fury.

He still dreams of sporting excellence. He envisions a future where he is back winning world titles – he lost his unified heavyweight belts to Usyk in 2021 – and wants to fight until he is 40.

AJ, 36, receently said: After I deal with Tyson Fury, on to world titles. I accept this will be a tough year and I’m coming up 37 in October but I feel have the strength in every aspect to keep fighting until I’m 40. Boxing’s what I do.

I’m back. Back to the place where I always find my purpose. Where I’m content.’

Joshua has made it clear that his dreams of a Fury clash will go up in flames if he fails to win tonight. It would be one of the most embarrassing results in recent boxing history.

That’s no disrespect to Prenga, who has a good record for his level. he has just never faced anyone of this calibre.

Joshua said in his pre-fight press conference: ‘Ultimately, the reality of the matter is there is no future unless I get past this checkpoint on Saturday night.

‘We’ve been working since January, working hard, aligning all my stars.

‘I understand there’s a big picture. The goal is to conquer the universe, right? But first we must conquer earth.’

Good evening all and welcome to Daily Mail Sport’s live blog of Anthony Joshua’s comeback against Kristian Prenga!

At the end of last year, Joshua was involved in a car crash in Nigeria which killed two of his closest friends and left him hospitalised. Now he is just a win away from setting up a showdown with Tyson Fury, the bout that heavyweight boxing fans have wanted for years.

We’re expecting Joshua and Prenga to do their ring walks at around 11pm UK time, which will be 1am in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where the fight is taking place.

Stay with us for all the build-up, round-by-round action, and reaction – with updates from our ringside boxing expert Charlotte Daly.