Why is Anthony Joshua fighting at the Esports World Cup Festival?

Anthony Joshua is no stranger to fighting on the biggest stages in world sport. Wembley Stadium, Madison Square Garden and the Kingdom Arena have all hosted some of the defining nights of his career. 

On July 25, the former unified heavyweight champion returns to the ring at the Jeddah Superdome against Albanian Kristian Prenga. But this is no ordinary fight week. Joshua's bout forms part of the Esports World Cup Festival, the gaming spectacle that has quickly become the blue-riband event of competitive esports. 

It raises an obvious question: why is one of boxing's biggest names headlining an esports festival? 

What is the Esports World Cup Festival? 

Anthony Joshua's fight forms part of something much bigger than a heavyweight contest. 

The Esports World Cup Festival is built around the Esports World Cup, the world's premier competitive gaming event. Across seven weeks, more than 2,000 players from over 200 clubs and around 100 countries compete across 24 different games for a record-breaking prize pool of more than $75 million. 

League of Legends, Counter-Strike 2, VALORANT, Chess, EA SPORTS FC 26, Call of Duty, Rocket League and PUBG are among the titles represented, with some of the biggest names in gaming competing for world titles. 

Around that competition sits a broader entertainment festival featuring concerts, fan experiences and now one of boxing's biggest attractions. 

Why is Anthony Joshua part of the Esports World Cup Festival? 

The simple answer is that the Esports World Cup is no longer just an esports tournament. 

Competitive gaming remains at the centre of the festival, but organisers have expanded the event into a wider sports and entertainment platform. Adding Joshua brings a mainstream sporting audience to the Esports World Cup, while giving boxing access to a younger, digitally native fanbase. 

It is a crossover that makes sense. Boxing and esports are both built around star power, rivalries, live events and global audiences. Joshua's presence shows how far the Esports World Cup has grown beyond the idea of a traditional gaming tournament. 

Who is Anthony Joshua fighting? 

Joshua will face Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga with a dangerous record. 

Prenga has stopped every opponent he has beaten, building a reputation as a heavy-handed puncher despite operating outside boxing's biggest spotlight. 

Joshua will enter as the favourite, but the fight carries real importance. Victory would keep him moving towards what many hope could be a blockbuster all-British showdown with Tyson Fury before the end of 2026. 

How to watch the Esports World Cup on DAZN 

Fans can watch the Esports World Cup 2026 live and for free on DAZN throughout the seven-week competition. 

This is available on the DAZN app across a wide range of devices, including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets and gaming consoles, or watch through any web browser at DAZN.com. 

Coverage is available globally, excluding China, South Korea, the CIS region, Ukraine, Malaysia, Hungary and Finland. Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 are also unavailable in Peru. 

To watch live follow these steps: 

1. Download the DAZN app on your preferred device or visit DAZN.com.  
2. Sign up for a free DAZN account, or log in if you already have one.  
3. Search for Esports World Cup or browse the esports section.  
4. Select the tournament you want to watch and start streaming live. 

How to watch Anthony Joshua vs. Kristian Prenga 

Joshua-Prenga and the whole fight card is live on DAZN Pay-Per-View. There are multiple ways to buy and watch this fight: 

1: Single: Buy the PPV as a one-off cost for £19.99 / $59.99 

2: Ultimate Tier: Subscribe to DAZN Ultimate Tier to get Joshua-Prenga and other PPVs included in your subscription rather than paying extra one-off costs. See below for full details. 

Then watch the fight on any smart TV, smartphone, streaming device, games console, laptop/Mac, or tablet with the DAZN App. 

If you do not have the App already then just follow these instructions:

1. Download the free DAZN App from your normal App store on your TV, phone, tablet, or streaming device  
2. On a laptop or PC visit www.DAZN.com/home  
3. Select 'Get started' or 'log in'  
4. Enter your email address, or sign up via the Apple, Google or Facebook options  
5. You then have access to all of DAZN's free content, including the Matchroom boxing channel, and FIFA+  
6. Then find the boxing homepage and click 'buy now'