British heavyweight Anthony Joshua recovers from early scare to stop Kristian Prenga in comeback bout
Anthony Joshua survived one of the toughest starts of his career before stopping Kristian Prenga in the second round of his comeback fight in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, keeping his long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury on track.
The former heavyweight champion was knocked down twice in the opening round, including within the first 20 seconds, after a powerful uppercut from Albanian opponent Prenga stunned him.
Joshua appeared close to suffering a major upset, with his planned fight against Fury at risk of collapsing. However, the 36-year-old showed his experience and resilience to turn the contest around.
Joshua responds after emotional return
The fight marked Joshua’s first appearance since a car crash in Nigeria in December that killed his close friends Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele.
Joshua carried tributes to his friends into the ring, with their names displayed on his kit and the canvas.
After being dropped twice in the first round, Joshua regained control in the second when he landed a powerful right hand that sent Prenga to the canvas and forced the referee to stop the fight.
The victory was Joshua’s first competitive win since his defeat by Daniel Dubois in September 2024 and moved him closer to a major clash with fellow British heavyweight Tyson Fury.
Fury fight remains on course
Joshua said the victory was about more than boxing, crediting his determination to the memory of his late friends.
“It’s more than punch power. That was spirit,” Joshua said after the fight.
A potential Fury appearance in Jeddah had been discussed, but the “Gypsy King” did not attend after defeating Mariusz Wach in Thailand earlier in the week.
Fury and Joshua have already signed contracts for their highly anticipated fight, although the venue and date are yet to be officially confirmed.
Promoters expect blockbuster showdown
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that arrangements for the Fury fight are complete, saying the bout is expected to take place in November.
The fight could be staged in the United States or the United Kingdom, with Saudi organisers and broadcasters reportedly interested in an American venue.
The heavyweight showdown is also expected to be streamed on Netflix as the platform continues to expand its presence in boxing.
