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Anthony Joshua defeats Kristian Prenga amid fight‑fixing controversy
Anthony Joshua knocked down Kristian Prenga twice in the opening round of their heavyweight bout, then recovered to knock Prenga out in the second round. After the fight, talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan suggested that "something was not quite right," sparking speculation that the match had been fixed. Prenga publicly rejected the allegations, calling them "completely false" and saying he deliberately slowed his pace in round two to conserve energy after an ill‑ness during his training camp. Matchroom Boxing promoters, including Frank Smith and Sergey Lapin, dismissed Jordan's comments, and Barry Hearn also mocked the pundit's theory. The controversy has centered on the fighters' in‑ring tactics rather than any proven wrongdoing.
Entities
Anthony Joshua · Barry Hearn · Kristian Prenga · Sergey Lapin · Simon Jordan
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Kristian Prenga denied the fight‑fixing allegations, calling them false and irresponsible. www.independent.co.uk · www.mirror.co.uk
- [● 3 SOURCES] Anthony Joshua knocked out Kristian Prenga in the second round. www.boxingnews24.com · www.independent.co.uk · www.mirror.co.uk
- [● 2 SOURCES] Matchroom Boxing promoters Frank Smith and Sergey Lapin dismissed Jordan's comments about a fix. www.independent.co.uk · www.mirror.co.uk
- [DISPUTED] Anthony Joshua knocked down Kristian Prenga twice in the first round. www.boxingnews24.com · www.independent.co.uk · www.mirror.co.uk
- [● 2 SOURCES] Prenga said he slowed his pace in round two to conserve energy, which allowed Joshua to regain control. www.independent.co.uk · www.mirror.co.uk
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Barry Hearn mocked Simon Jordan's earlier suspicions about the fight. www.boxingnews24.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Prenga claimed he was ill during his training camp, affecting his performance. www.independent.co.uk · www.mirror.co.uk
- [● 3 SOURCES] Simon Jordan suggested that something was not right in the Joshua‑Prenga fight, implying a possible fix. www.boxingnews24.com · www.independent.co.uk · www.mirror.co.uk