LONDON -- Anthony Joshua has said he never considered walking away from boxing because it is his "purpose" following the fatal car crash which claimed the lives of his two friends in December.
Joshua's friends and teammates Sina Ghami and Latif 'Latz' Ayodele died after the vehicle the three of them were travelling in struck a stationary truck on a major road near Lagos, Nigeria.
After a period of uncertainty around his future in the sport, the former heavyweight champion has confirmed he will return to the ring on July 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia against Kristian Prenga (20-1, 20 KOs) before a potential fight against Tyson Fury, which is being targeted for November.
Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) sustained moderate injuries in the crash and returned to the gym in the months following the incident.
He has most recently been in camp with unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in Spain, training with the Ukrainian in the lead up to his return in July.
The Brit said while had been working in the gym for a while, he felt ready to return to proper training two months ago and that he is "mentally very strong."
Asked if he considered walking away from the sport, Joshua told reporters on Monday: "No because it's my purpose. Boxing is not only good for the competitive side of things, it's quite therapeutic. It gives us [fighters] purpose.
"That's what it does for me, and I think this is a place where ... I know it is the place where I am most comfortable. It gives me a purpose in my life. I'm content."
Joshua explained that he has learned the importance of prayer while training with Usyk, a devout Christian, and said while he personally has no specific religion, prayer has helped him in the last five months.
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When asked how he is dealing with the emotion of what happened as he prepares to fight again, Joshua said he has focused on the families of Ghami and Ayodele, who he will continue to support.
"Everyone's different. For me, I have to put my emotions to the side because I'm focused on the parents if I'm honest," Joshua said.
"My emotions can come at a later stage. I really look at the parents and understand it must be most difficult for them. So, I don't make it about me, I make it about them. The mums and dads.
"Everyone deals with it differently, but I think for me that's the best way of handling the situation. It's not about me. It's bigger than me."