Joshia secures dramatic comeback victory over Prenga, setting stage for Fury bout
The win extends Anthony Joshua’s record to 30 victories and four defeats, marking his return to the ring following a fatal car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two friends.
Anthony Joshua recovered from two first-round knockdowns to stop Kristian Prenga in the second round in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, securing a dramatic comeback victory. The British heavyweight suffered the first knockdown just 20 seconds into the contest following a right uppercut from Prenga, and was sent to the canvas again later in the opening round with a left uppercut. Despite appearing unsteady at the start of the second round, Joshua capitalised on Prenga’s decision to box defensively, landing a series of rights that forced the referee to halt the contest.
The fight served as Joshua’s return to professional boxing following a car crash in Nigeria in December that resulted in the deaths of his close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif 'Latz' Ayodele. Joshua dedicated the victory to his late companions, wearing their names on his chest and featuring the phrase 'My Brother's Keeper' on the canvas. Speaking post-fight, Joshua acknowledged the emotional toll, stating, "It's more than punch power. That was spirit, that was Latz, that was Sina, that was the families."
The victory extends Joshua’s professional record to 30 wins and four defeats. It marks his first test against a recognised professional opponent since his loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, with his only intervening bout being a fight against Jake Paul in December, ten days prior to the fatal crash. Prenga, a 35-year-old Albanian fighter who entered the bout with a record of 20 wins all by knockout, suffered only his second career loss.
The win sets up a future heavyweight unification bout with Tyson Fury, for which contracts have been signed but a venue and date remain unconfirmed. Fury did not attend the event in Jeddah, having recently defeated Mariusz Wach in Thailand. Promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that while the agreement is final, the fight is likely to be streamed on Netflix. While British fans hope for a homecoming event, Saudi organisers and broadcasters are understood to favour a venue in the United States to cater for American audiences.
Hearn expressed concern that Joshua may have returned too soon given the circumstances, noting that he believed Joshua would come back too soon when he went down in the first round. Joshua’s stablemate, Oleksandr Usyk, was present at the event, watching the contest with concern. The bout between Joshua and Fury, long-awaited for over a decade, is understood to have been agreed for November, though both fighters are considered past their peak physical powers despite their enduring commercial appeal.
