TLDR
- Anthony Joshua was knocked down twice in the first round by Kristian Prenga before stopping him in round two
- Lennox Lewis questioned whether Joshua should still be competing after his recent performance
- Tyson Fury easily stopped 46-year-old Mariusz Wach in seven rounds in his warm-up fight
- Frank Warren predicts Fury will stop Joshua similar to how Daniel Dubois did in 2024
- Both fighters are expected to face each other later in 2026, though no date or location has been announced
Sources: boxingnewsonline.net | boxingnewsonline.net
Boxing legend Lennox Lewis has expressed serious doubts about Anthony Joshua’s ability to compete at the highest level following his recent performance against Kristian Prenga. The former undisputed heavyweight champion questioned whether Joshua should even be in the ring as he prepares for a potential clash with Tyson Fury.
Joshua and Fury are expected to fight later this year, though no specific date or location has been announced. Both fighters completed warm-up bouts last weekend with vastly different results.
Joshua Knocked Down Twice in Opening Round
The 36-year-old Joshua faced a difficult night against Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Albanian fighter, who was not considered a serious threat on paper, landed a right uppercut that floored Joshua in the first 20 seconds of the contest.
Joshua was dropped a second time in the opening round before recovering. He stopped Prenga in round two, but the damage to his reputation was already done.
“Does he really belong in the ring right now? A virtual novice put him on the ground twice in the first round,” Lewis told The Ring. “Is that it, have we seen the last of him? It’s not like he’s his old self.”
Fury, meanwhile, had a much easier night against 46-year-old Mariusz Wach in Pattaya, Thailand. The 37-year-old stopped Wach in seven rounds, showing few signs of trouble.
Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson Fury now expected to take place outside of UK as shock location revealed https://t.co/VWABF5JnZv pic.twitter.com/Yn5gcq6K5L
— Bloody Elbow (@BloodyElbow) August 4, 2026
The fight came after Fury’s unanimous decision victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov in April. That bout marked the end of 16 months of inactivity following back-to-back points defeats to Oleksandr Usyk in 2024.
Warren Predicts Fury Stoppage
Frank Warren, who promotes Fury, made his prediction clear when speaking with DAZN. “I think Tyson’s a big favourite – I’ve said that all along,” Warren said.
“Styles make fights and I think Tyson will stop AJ. He will do what Daniel Dubois did,” Warren added, referring to Joshua’s fifth-round stoppage loss in 2024.
Warren also addressed Joshua’s physical transformation while training with the team of Oleksandr Usyk. “[Joshua] looks incredible. [Team Usyk have] got him doing a different physical regime, but one thing you can’t do in boxing is put muscles on your chin,” he explained.
Lewis agreed that Fury appears closer to his prime than Joshua. “Fury is closer [to his prime] but both are shadows of their former selves,” Lewis said. “I’d side with Fury – he showed me more in his two fights [against Makhmudov and Wach] than Joshua has recently.”
The former champion pointed out the questionable quality of Joshua’s recent opposition. “He boxed a YouTuber [Jake Paul in December], now boxed a guy who knocked him down twice and next faces Fury? That’s a big step up,” Lewis stated.
Joshua’s punch resistance has become a major topic of discussion among boxing experts and fans. His last world-level contest ended in a fifth-round knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois in 2024.
Both Joshua and Fury are former two-time heavyweight champions who appeared past their best in their recent performances. The pair are expected to finalize details for their bout later this year, with Joshua currently training under the guidance of Usyk’s team.
