Joshua Down Twice, Then Wins by Knockout and Borrows Albanian Flag
Anthony Joshua provided high drama in Jeddah: Albanian boxer Kristian Prenga knocked him down twice in the first round, but Joshua came back and won by knockout in the second round.
Anthony Joshua provided high drama in Jeddah: Albanian boxer Kristian Prenga knocked him down twice in the first round, but Joshua came back and won by knockout in the second round.
Anthony Joshua defeated Kristian Prenga by knockout in the second round of the fight held in Jeddah, but the path to victory was anything but straightforward. The Albanian boxer knocked down the former world champion twice in the first round and nearly caused one of the biggest upsets in Joshua's career.
Prenga did not come just to participate. In the very first round, the Albanian boxer knocked Joshua down twice, leaving the Briton on the brink of defeat. The British boxer managed to survive the first round and make it to the break, but the situation was extremely uncertain. Few at that moment expected the turnaround that followed.
Joshua returned a changed man in the second round. He regained control of the fight, landed a powerful right hand, and then knocked Prenga down against the ropes with a series of punches. The referee stopped the fight 17 seconds before the end of the round, awarding Joshua a technical knockout victory. It was one of the most dramatic wins in the British boxer's career so far.
After the fight, Joshua showed respect for his Albanian opponent and his fans in a striking manner. While posing in the corner of the ring, he asked the spectators for an Albanian flag. He draped the red-and-black flag over his right arm while holding the British flag in his left. By displaying the symbols of both countries together, he sent a message of mutual respect after an extremely tense match. Joshua also verbally praised Prenga for the resistance he offered after the victory.
Joshua's respect for Albanian culture did not begin only after the fight. During the official face-off with Prenga before the match, Joshua crossed his arms to form the double-headed eagle, a symbol strongly associated with Albanian national identity and the flag. This gesture received a warm response from Albanian fans and attracted attention online even before the bell signaled the start of the fight.
For Prenga, this fight was an opportunity for the biggest victory of his career. The two knockdowns he inflicted on Joshua in the first round showed that the Albanian boxer was not a mere extra but a serious contender who pushed the British veteran to the brink. Despite the loss, Prenga left Jeddah with his reputation enhanced, and the winner's gesture only further highlighted the sportsmanship of the evening. Joshua, a former world heavyweight champion, confirmed that even in the later stages of his career he can turn around difficult situations, but also that he knows how to behave like a champion outside the ring as well.
