Anthony Joshua nearly saw his career-defining fight slip away in the first three minutes. Instead, he produced one of the most dramatic comebacks of his career.The former two-time heavyweight world champion survived two shocking first-round knockdowns to stop Albanian contender Kristian Prenga in the second round on Sunday, July 25, 2026, at the Jeddah Superdome in Saudi Arabia. The win keeps Joshua on course for the long-awaited all-British showdown with Tyson Fury.
A Nightmare Start In Saudi Arabia
What was supposed to be a straightforward tune-up turned into a trial by fire. Prenga, a 35-year-old Albanian with 20 knockouts in 21 wins and a +900 underdog, came to spoil. He did it immediately. Just 20 seconds into the bout, Prenga landed a thunderous right uppercut that sent Joshua to the canvas for the first time. It got worse. Later in the round, Joshua was hurt again, his legs shaky against the ropes before Prenga dropped him a second time late in the first. The unofficial scorecard read 10-7 for Prenga after one.
For a moment, the “Battle of Britain” against Fury looked in serious jeopardy. Promoter Eddie Hearn admitted as much: “No one can imagine what he’s been through this last seven months… In fact, during that first round, I was thinking we come back too soon”.
Joshua, 36, was fighting for the first time since a car crash in Nigeria in December that killed two of his close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.
The Comeback: Power, Spirit, And A Statement
Between rounds, Joshua reset. He came out for round two with a different energy, calm, but lethal. He backed Prenga into a corner behind his jab, absorbed more heavy shots, then fired back. A 1-2 combination was followed by a three-punch set ending with a massive right hand that sent Prenga crashing to the canvas and draped over the bottom rope. The referee waved it off at 2:43 of round two. Joshua smiled and strolled to the opposite corner, knowing it was over.
“Those moments show what type of person you are because they’re not things that we prepare for,” Joshua said after. “There was a flight-or-fight moment, and I chose to fight. Now, we had some big plans on the horizon… and it nearly got stripped away from us within three minutes, and I said, ‘no, no, no, no’”.
He also dedicated the win to his late friends: “That was spirit, that was Latz, that was Sina. That was family”.
What The Win Means: Joshua Vs Fury Is On
The victory improved Joshua to 30-4 with 27 KOs. More importantly, it cleared the final obstacle for the fight boxing has waited years for. Tyson Fury had already won his own warm-up on Friday in Thailand, stopping Mariusz Wach after seven rounds. With both Brits victorious, talks for a November showdown intensified immediately.
Hearn was quick to set the terms: “We insisted that this fight was in the U.K… I know that AJ… said to me, ‘I want the fight in the U.K. This is a British fight’”.
Joshua himself called out Fury in the ring: “Oh, wait a minute… Have we got Tyson Fury in the room, actually? Is he here or not?”
Context And Questions
The win was Joshua’s first since his fifth-round KO loss to Daniel Dubois at Wembley in September 2024. It was also his first serious heavyweight test since that defeat, billed as “The Comeback”.
Prenga was not an easy night. He entered with 20 KOs and nearly produced one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight history. The fact Joshua absorbed that, recovered, and finished violently showed both vulnerability and the enduring power that has defined his career.
At 36, Joshua proved he still has the punch that made him a champion. He also showed resilience that went beyond boxing, coming back from personal tragedy and professional doubt in the same night.
Now the road leads to Fury. The details are still being finalized, but the appetite is undeniable. After surviving the canvas twice in Jeddah, Joshua did more than win. He reminded the world why the fight everyone wants still matters.
Result: Anthony Joshua def. Kristian Prenga via KO at 2:43 of Round 2_Record: Joshua 30-4, 27 KOs | Prenga 20-2
