Anthony Joshua delivered a second-round knockout against Kristian Prenga in a heavyweight contest held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This victory potentially paves the way for a highly anticipated superfight against Tyson Fury.
During the opening round, Prenga managed to drop Joshua with an uppercut within the first 20 seconds. Joshua recovered but was visibly affected, holding on to survive the round after being sent to the canvas a second time by Prenga.
However, Joshua regrouped during the round break. He then showcased his power in the second round, landing a series of right hands that sent Prenga through the ropes, securing the knockout win.
Weigh-in details and fight preparations
Ahead of the bout, Anthony Joshua weighed in at 251lbs on Friday, which was 7.6lbs heavier than his previous fight against Jake Paul in December 2025, where he weighed 243.4lbs. Prenga, an Albanian boxer, scaled in at 261.4lbs, making him 10.4lbs heavier than Joshua. Joshua’s heaviest weight for a fight was 255.4lbs when he defeated Jermaine Franklin in April 2023.
Joshua expressed confidence after the weigh-in, stating, “We’re feeling good. It’s going down tomorrow night in Jeddah.” Promoter Eddie Hearn also commented on the upcoming fight, noting Prenga’s record of 20-1 with 20 knockouts, despite some questions about the calibre of his previous opponents. Prenga had secured each of his last 16 victories via knockout or TKO.
Hearn highlighted the significance of the fight, saying, “Big fight, big opportunity. We know what comes the other side; we’ve just got to deal with this guy tonight.” He also anticipated a strong performance from Joshua, reflecting his training camp efforts.
Joshua had been training with Oleksandr Usyk’s team in preparation for the fight, his first since facing Jake Paul in December 2025. Usyk’s team reportedly encouraged Joshua to “show greatness” against Prenga. Joshua mentioned that his approach to training had significantly improved, with the team pushing him to demonstrate his best consistently.
Potential superfight with Tyson Fury
This victory for Joshua comes after Tyson Fury also secured a win, beating Mariusz Wach by TKO in the seventh round in Thailand. Fury’s win was an unaired fight, and he had expressed doubts about Joshua overcoming Prenga.
Reports indicate that Joshua and Fury have been in negotiations for a potential fight, which could be streamed by Netflix in the fall. Madison Square Garden has been mentioned as a possible venue for this clash. The two boxers have come close to fighting on several occasions throughout their careers, but a matchup has never materialized.
Promoter Eddie Hearn had previously suggested that both fighters securing wins in their respective tune-up bouts was the final element needed to arrange the fight. He stated, “The only thing that’s going to stop the fight from happening in November is if one of these guys gets beat this weekend or picks up an injury.” With both fighters now having secured victories, the path for a potential encounter between Joshua and Fury appears clearer.
Both Joshua and Fury are reaching a stage in their careers where retirement discussions are becoming more frequent, making a potential fight between them a significant event.
Source: bleacherreport.com
