Anthony Joshua steadied himself after a shaky start to stop Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga in the second round in Jeddah, a result that keeps his hopes of a major showdown with Tyson Fury alive later this year.
Quick facts
- Joshua beat Kristian Prenga by knockout in the second round in Jeddah.
- Prenga dropped Joshua twice within the first 20 seconds.
- Joshua’s response came through a burst of damaging right hands.
- Joshua dedicated the win to Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, who died in a December car crash.
- The victory took Joshua to 30 wins in 34 professional fights.
- Joshua is expected to face Tyson Fury in November, with contracts reportedly signed, though the venue remains unconfirmed.
The contest turned almost immediately after the bell. Joshua found himself in trouble early, sent to the canvas twice during the first 20 seconds after Prenga landed a heavy uppercut. Prenga arrived with an impressive knockout streak, having won all 20 of his previous bouts by KO.
But the former world champion quickly shifted the momentum. Joshua answered with a sharp, punishing sequence of right hands that hurt Prenga and forced the fight to end in the second round. The stoppage ensured Prenga’s momentum was cut short and confirmed Joshua’s ability to recover under pressure.
After the final bell, Joshua delivered an emotional message to those close to him. He dedicated the win to his late friends and teammates, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, both of whom died in a car crash in December.
“It’s more than punch power. That was spirit, that was Latz, that was Sina, that was the families. It hurts to even talk about it. It has been tough. It’s my brothers,” Joshua said.
With the stoppage, Joshua’s record now stands at 30 wins from 34 fights, and he remains on track for the long-awaited clash with Fury. The two British heavyweights are expected to meet in November, with reports indicating contracts have been signed, though no location has been officially confirmed yet.
