Anthony Joshua produced one of the most remarkable recoveries of his career on Saturday night, hauling himself off the canvas twice before demolishing Kristian Prenga in the second round at the Jeddah Superdome.
What was anticipated as a straightforward demolition of the little-known Albanian fighter turned into a breathtaking spectacle that left Joshua’s camp fearing the worst inside the opening 20 seconds.
A thunderous right uppercut from Prenga sent the two-time heavyweight world champion crashing to the floor almost immediately. He was put down again moments later by a left hand, leaving the 36-year-old’s entire future hanging by a thread.
Yet Joshua, drawing on reserves that went far deeper than physical conditioning, rallied magnificently in the second round. A devastating right hook brought the contest to a dramatic conclusion, preserving both his unbeaten comeback record and the blockbuster Tyson Fury showdown that awaits.
Anthony Joshua nearly suffered a shock defeat to Kristian Prenga in the opening round
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The victory carried a weight that transcended sport. Joshua was making his first ring appearance since the fatal car crash in Nigeria eight months ago that claimed the lives of two of his closest friends.
Eddie Hearn, who has guided Joshua’s career for 13 years, confessed that watching those knockdowns left him contemplating the end.
“When he got dropped, I was like, that’s career over,” the Matchroom chairman told Charlie Parsons at The Stomping Ground.
He described the bout as “the most dramatic, emotional four minutes certainly of my career maybe my life,” speaking ringside to SunSport.
Throughout fight week, Hearn had harboured private doubts about whether Joshua had rushed his return. Seeing his fighter floored twice in rapid succession only deepened those fears.
“I actually thought to myself at one stage, what an unbelievable journey I’m so proud of him that he made it back and if this is the moment when it’s all over, then what a ride,” Hearn admitted.
Anthony Joshua came back to deliver a brutal knockout in the second round
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Yet when Joshua made it back to his corner stool, Hearn’s optimism flickered back to life, banking on the one attribute that never deserts his fighter: devastating knockout power.
The December crash in Nigeria left Joshua with approximately 24 fractures to his ribs, confining him to hospital for several weeks. The physical toll was immense, but the emotional devastation cut far deeper.
His close friends Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami perished in the accident. Joshua survived, carrying injuries that demanded exhaustive rehabilitation before he could even contemplate lacing up his gloves again.
Hearn questioned openly whether the return had come too soon. “He needed boxing to get over the grief but also he hasn’t got over the grief, does that make sense?” the promoter reflected.
Boxing served as a lifeline through the mourning process, yet Hearn acknowledged it was something of a “quick fix” — one that helped Joshua enormously but could not mask the unresolved pain he carried into the ring seven months later.
Joshua’s own words after the fight laid bare the depth of his grief. “It’s more than punch power. That was spirit, that was Latz, that was Sina, that was the families. It hurts to even talk about it. It has been tough,” the 36-year-old said.
Visibly overcome with emotion, he stepped away from the microphone before composing himself briefly. “It’s my brothers. I don’t want to talk about it,” he added.
The moment Anthony Joshua knocked out Kristian Prenga! 😳#JoshuaPrenga ▪️ pic.twitter.com/ozAV5r3wJI
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 25, 2026
Hearn echoed the sentiment that Saturday’s triumph represented something far greater than sporting achievement.
“Even with everything that he’s been through, no one will give him grace,” the promoter lamented. “No one will go, ‘but he had 24 breaks in his ribs, he lost his two best friends’. They’ll just say ‘he’s finished, he’s shot’.”
The performance, flawed as it was, stood as a testament to sheer willpower.
Attention now shifts to the long-awaited Battle of Britain against Tyson Fury, with both men having signed contracts for a November collision. Fury completed his own tune-up the previous evening, stopping 46-year-old Mariusz Wach in seven rounds during a low-key, non-televised affair in Thailand.
Eddie Hearn expressed worry over Anthony Joshua after his accident
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However, a significant dispute over the venue threatens to complicate matters. Joshua’s contract stipulates the fight must be staged in the United Kingdom, yet New York’s Madison Square Garden has emerged as a leading contender, driven by a desire to suit primetime American viewing on Netflix. Saudi boxing financier Turki Alalshikh is reportedly pushing for a Stateside location.
Hearn made his position unambiguous. “It’s pretty clear they want the fight in America. We don’t,” he stated, adding that any change of terms would necessitate fresh negotiations.
“Even for my legacy, I don’t want this fight in America,” he insisted.
