Joshua Survives Two Knockdowns, Knocks Out Prenga, Sets Sights on Fury
Former two-time world heavyweight champion comes back from the brink in Jeddah, confirms megafight with Tyson Fury for November 2026.
Former two-time world heavyweight champion comes back from the brink in Jeddah, confirms megafight with Tyson Fury for November 2026.
Anthony Joshua (30-4-0, 27 KOs) displayed exceptional mental strength in Jeddah on July 25, 2026, surviving two knockdowns in the first round and then brutally knocking out Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga (20-2-0, 20 KOs) in the second round, thereby securing a long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury.
The fight immediately took a worst-case scenario turn for Joshua's fans. Within the first 30 seconds, a powerful right uppercut sent the 36-year-old Briton to the canvas, and then Prenga managed to knock Joshua down again late in the first round. Many at that point thought the fight was practically over before it had truly begun. However, Joshua survived until the bell and returned to the locker room with a clear goal.
In the second round, Joshua emerged as a completely different fighter. He capitalized on a momentary lapse in concentration and landed a clean straight right, followed by a flurry of punches that sent the Albanian boxer to the canvas against the ropes. The referee stopped the fight and declared Joshua's victory by knockout. It was a brutal ending that confirmed the former champion's devastating punching power despite the dramatic circumstances of the first round.
Joshua returned to the ring for the first time since December 2025, when two of his close friends tragically died in a traffic accident in Nigeria, and he himself was injured. He dedicated the victory to them. According to a report from Channel News Asia, Oleksandr Usyk was present in the front row at the fight and was reportedly with Joshua in the locker room before the bout. Promoter Eddie Hearn highlighted the weight his fighter carried:
"He had to show strength in this fight; no one can even imagine what he's been through."
After the victory, Joshua did not hide his emotions or his ambitions. He thanked his opponent and then sent a clear message to his next challenger:
"Tyson Fury, I'm coming for you! I'll rip your heart out!"Promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that contracts for the fight with Fury have already been signed and that the British megafight of the decade is scheduled for November 2026.
The day before, on July 24, 2026, Tyson Fury defeated Mariusz Wach (46 years old) in Thailand, in a fight that was not broadcast live on television. Wach retired on his stool before the eighth round. Fury's performance was merely a warm-up for the upcoming clash with Joshua, which the boxing world has been anticipating for years.
Joshua's dramatic victory in Jeddah was the final test before the megafight that the boxing world has long awaited. Both Britons now have confirmed wins in 2026 and contracts for November. The only question is whether the fight, which has fallen through several times in the past, will actually take place this time. According to Hearn, everything is in place.
