Anthony Joshua stops Kristian Prenga
Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua defeated Kristian Prenga by second-round stoppage on July 25, 2026, at Jeddah Superdome in Saudi Arabia. Joshua recovered after Prenga scored 2 knockdowns during the opening round of their heavyweight contest.
The contest ended at 2:43 of round 2 after Joshua’s final right hand dropped Prenga near the ropes. The result improved Joshua’s professional record to 30 victories and 4 defeats, including 27 stoppage wins overall.
Anthony Joshua faces early trouble
Kristian Prenga landed a right uppercut about 20 seconds after the opening bell and sent Anthony Joshua to the canvas. Joshua rose before the count ended, but remained unsteady as Prenga continued pressing forward aggressively.
Joshua received another count later in round 1 after a punch caused his glove to touch the canvas. The 2 recognized knockdowns gave Prenga a commanding opening round before Joshua reached the bell safely overnight.
Anthony Joshua reverses the fight
Anthony Joshua regained control during round 2 by using his jab and right hand to force Kristian Prenga backward. Joshua completed the finish at 2:43, leaving 17 seconds in the scheduled 3-minute round during the comeback.
The victory raised Joshua’s professional record to 30 victories and 4 defeats, with 27 stoppage wins. His losses came against Andy Ruiz Jr., Oleksandr Usyk twice, and Daniel Dubois between 2019 and 2024.
Anthony Joshua ends Prenga’s streak
Kristian Prenga entered the contest with a 20-1 record and had stopped every opponent he defeated. The 35-year-old Albanian had won 16 consecutive contests since suffering his only previous professional loss in 2017 in boxing.
Anthony Joshua weighed 251 pounds, while Prenga weighed 261.4 pounds, creating a 10.4-pound difference. Joshua entered with considerably more experience from Olympic competition and major professional heavyweight contests staged around the world before the opening bell.
Anthony Joshua honors late friends
The Jeddah appearance marked Anthony Joshua’s first contest of 2026 and followed his December 19, 2025, victory over Jake Paul in Miami. A road crash in Nigeria occurred 10 days after that bout in December.
The crash claimed the lives of Joshua’s strength coach, Sina Ghami, and trainer Latif “Latz” Ayodele. Joshua honored both team members on his return, with their names prominently displayed on the canvas near his corner.
Anthony Joshua trains with Usyk’s team
Anthony Joshua prepared in Valencia, Spain, with members of Oleksandr Usyk’s training team. Joshua had previously lost consecutive heavyweight title contests against Usyk in September 2021 and August 2022 at separate international venues during camp there.
Joshua’s victory kept the planned Tyson Fury contest active for later in 2026. Eddie Hearn said both fighters had signed an agreement, but organizers had not announced a final date or venue by July 26.
Anthony Joshua keeps Fury plans alive
Tyson Fury completed his preparation contest on July 24, 2026, when Mariusz Wach’s corner ended their bout after 7 rounds in Pattaya, Thailand. Fury improved his record to 36 victories, 2 defeats, and 1 draw.
Anthony Joshua and Fury completed their July contests successfully, preserving their planned meeting later in 2026. Eddie Hearn supported a British venue, but organizers had not announced the final location or date by July 26.
Anthony Joshua headlines Jeddah card
The July 25 event at Jeddah Superdome carried the name ‘The Comeback’ and streamed worldwide on DAZN. Matchroom initially announced Anthony Joshua’s return for Riyadh before organizers later moved the complete boxing card to Jeddah.
Hamzah Sheeraz retained the WBO super-middleweight title through a majority decision over Simon Zachenhuber. Josh Kelly retained the IBF super-welterweight title with a unanimous decision over Caoimhin Agyarko on the same card in Jeddah successfully.
Anthony Joshua reflects after victory
Anthony Joshua praised Kristian Prenga as strong and durable after the contest. Joshua said champions rise after being knocked down, then addressed the planned Tyson Fury meeting while expressing respect for Fury’s achievements in boxing.
Joshua previously faced Oleksandr Usyk in Jeddah in August 2022, losing their rematch by split decision. His return to the city produced a victory, although Prenga scored 2 knockdowns during round 1 at the venue.
Anthony Joshua ends Prenga’s streak
Anthony Joshua’s victory ended Kristian Prenga’s 16-fight winning streak and gave the Albanian his second professional defeat. Prenga’s only previous loss came against Giovanni Auriemma in 2017 before his long unbeaten run began in boxing.
The contest ended at 2:43 of round 2 after less than 6 minutes of official action. Prenga scored 2 first-round knockdowns before Joshua recovered and secured the result with a decisive right hand in Jeddah.
Fun fact: Anthony Joshua once helped 541 people set a world record for the largest Boxercise class, proving even group fitness can use a heavyweight.
Anthony Joshua remains without a title
Anthony Joshua entered the Prenga contest without a world championship. The victory improved his professional record to 30-4, but did not award him a heavyweight title or ranking position in the division.
‘The Comeback’ featured 13 scheduled bouts at Jeddah Superdome. Joshua had previously competed at the venue in August 2022, when Oleksandr Usyk defeated him by split decision in their heavyweight championship rematch.
Anthony Joshua earns consecutive victories
Anthony Joshua’s second-round recovery prevented a loss that would have disrupted the planned Tyson Fury contest. Prenga scored 2 knockdowns in round 1 before Joshua produced the decisive finish during the following round in Jeddah.
The result gave Joshua consecutive victories following his September 2024 defeat against Daniel Dubois. Joshua previously defeated Jake Paul in December 2025 before preparing for Prenga with members of Oleksandr Usyk’s team based in Valencia, Spain.
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Anthony Joshua awaits Fury details
By July 26, 2026, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury had won their respective preparation contests. Eddie Hearn said both fighters had signed an agreement for a proposed heavyweight meeting in Britain later in 2026.
Organizers had not announced a final date or venue. Joshua entered those discussions after recovering from 2 first-round knockdowns and stopping Kristian Prenga at 2:43 of round 2 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on July 25.
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Was Anthony Joshua’s comeback more impressive because of his second-round finish or more concerning because Kristian Prenga dropped him twice? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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