Anthony Joshua Rises From Two Knockdowns, Knocks Out Kristian Prenga in the Second Round

Former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua secured a successful comeback fight by defeating Albanian boxer Kristian Prenga via second round knockout (KO) in a non-title bout held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Sunday WIB, 26 July 2026.

This victory came in dramatic fashion, after Joshua recovered from two knockdowns in the opening round to turn the fight around.

This bout marked Joshua's first appearance since he was involved in a car crash in Nigeria in December 2025, an incident which claimed the lives of two of his close friends.

The fight served as the British fighter's return to the ring, as well as a stepping stone towards a projected mega-fight against Tyson Fury.

Joshua got off to a nightmare start in the contest. He was dropped twice in the first round after taking hard uppercuts from Prenga, and came dangerously close to being stopped.

However, Joshua demonstrated his championship experience and resilience. In the second round, he unleashed a series of devastating right hands that left Prenga unable to mount any meaningful offence.

The referee subsequently halted the contest and awarded Joshua the victory by knockout.

This win was an emotional moment for Joshua. Following the fight, he paid tribute to his two friends Sina Ghami and Latif "Latz" Ayodele, who were killed in the car accident he survived.

"This was never just about punching power. This was about heart, this was for Latz, this was for Sina, this was for my family. It hurts just to talk about this. This has been so hard," Joshua stated, as quoted by Antara news agency.

He briefly paused the interview as he was unable to hold back tears, before continuing, "They were my brothers. I don't want to talk about this anymore."

Joshua also paid respect to Kristian Prenga, praising the Albanian fighter for an extremely tough performance that put him under immediate pressure from the very first round.

Meanwhile, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn lauded Joshua's character for fighting his way back from the dire early situation.

"That's what champions do," Hearn remarked.

This victory has brought the highly anticipated all-British heavyweight mega-fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury one step closer to reality.

Multiple British media outlets have reported that negotiations for the long-awaited bout are now at an advanced stage, though no official date or venue has been announced as yet.

With this win, Joshua improves his professional record to 30 wins, 27 of which have come via knockout, alongside 4 defeats.

The former holder of the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO world championship belts hopes this comeback victory will be the first step towards challenging once again for heavyweight world honours.

For Kristian Prenga, this result marks only the second defeat of his professional career. The Albanian boxer now holds a record of 20 wins, all by knockout, and 2 losses.

Despite failing to keep his unbeaten run intact, Prenga proved his quality by dropping Joshua twice in the opening round.

Ultimately though, Joshua's championship experience and mental fortitude proved the difference. The former world champion from England turned the tide of the fight to finish the contest inside two rounds, reigniting public hopes that the dream showdown with Tyson Fury will finally take place.