Anthony Joshua beats Kristian Prenga in Jeddah, eyes Fury clash

Anthony Joshua returned to the ring on 25 July 2026 at the Jeddah Superdome in Saudi Arabia. He was knocked down twice in the opening round by the Albanian challenger Kristian Prenga, who sent a powerful uppercut and a right hand that left the former two‑time heavyweight champion briefly unsteady. After surviving the early onslaught, Joshua rallied in the second round, using his jab and a decisive right‑hand combination to drop Prenga, who could not rise before the count, giving Joshua a technical knockout at 2:43 of round 2.

The bout was promoted as a tune‑up for Joshua’s long‑awaited heavyweight showdown with British rival Tyson Fury later in 2026. Fury did not attend the event, but both fighters have contracts for a future clash that has been a decade in the making. Joshua’s victory kept his pathway to the Fury fight intact, while Prenga, who entered with a 20‑1 record of all stoppage wins, earned a career‑defining payday and increased his profile.

Joshua fought the match a few months after surviving a serious car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two close friends, adding a personal narrative of resilience to the victory.