Anthony Joshua survives two knockdowns in win over Kristian Prenga
Anthony Joshua defeated Kristian Prenga by knockout in the second round after surviving two early knockdowns in Jeddah. The victory keeps Joshua on track for a highly anticipated heavyweight showdown against Tyson Fury later this year.
Why it matters
This fight was a critical hurdle for Joshua to clear to maintain the contractual conditions for a major unification-style bout with Tyson Fury.
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Add The New York Post on Google JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua recovered from two knockdowns to knock out Kristian Prenga in the second round of a dramatic non-title heavyweight fight on Saturday.
Joshua was flattened by an uppercut inside 30 seconds. He beat the count but looked seriously shaken.
Then Prenga laid out Joshua again, and again Joshua rose before the end of the count and survived to the bell.
A quick end was expected but nobody thought it would be Prenga’s. Joshua unleashed a flurry of fists and finished Prenga with a right hook, sending the Albanian through the bottom of the ropes.
The turnaround shocked even heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk, whose face ringside was caught by TV cameras.
The comeback also possibly saved an all-British showdown between Joshua and Tyson Fury.
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