TLDR
- Anthony Joshua was knocked down twice in round one but came back to knock out Kristian Prenga in round two in Saudi Arabia
- Tyson Fury stopped Mariusz Wach in seven rounds in Thailand the day before Joshua’s fight
- Both fighters have signed contracts for a November showdown, but the date and venue are still being finalized
- The fight was Joshua’s first since a December car crash that killed two of his close friends
- Promoters expect to announce final fight details within the next two weeks
Sources: bbc.com | aljazeera.com | skysports.com
Anthony Joshua was knocked down twice in the opening round before scoring a dramatic second-round knockout of Kristian Prenga on Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The victory keeps alive plans for a blockbuster fight with Tyson Fury later this year.
Joshua hit the canvas just 20 seconds into the fight after Prenga landed a powerful uppercut. The Albanian fighter knocked Joshua down a second time before the end of the first round, putting the long-awaited Fury showdown in serious jeopardy.
But Joshua survived the opening round and came back strong in the second. He unleashed a series of punches and finished Prenga with a right hook that sent him through the ropes, earning a technical knockout.
The fight marked Joshua’s return to boxing following a tragic car crash in Nigeria last December that killed his close friends Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele. Joshua was a passenger in the accident and sustained injuries.
“It’s more than punch power,” Joshua said after the fight. “That was spirit. That was Latz and Sina. That was the family.”
For the fight fans around the world 🪖 pic.twitter.com/MUfXp9DCtN
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) July 26, 2026
Fury Wins His Warm-Up Fight
One day earlier, Tyson Fury stopped 46-year-old Mariusz Wach in the seventh round in Pattaya, Thailand. Wach signaled to his corner to wave off the fight before officials ended it.
The bout was not televised and took place in front of about 1,500 spectators. It was Fury’s second fight since coming out of retirement, following his points victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov in April.
Both fights were seen as final preparation before Fury and Joshua finally meet in the ring. Promoter Eddie Hearn said both fighters have signed contracts to face each other, though details are still being finalized.
“I hope the fans will be in for a lovely treat,” Joshua told the crowd about fighting Fury.
Fight Details Still Being Worked Out
The fight is targeted for November, but no specific date has been announced. Fury said after beating Wach that he hopes the fight will be signed “next week.”
The venue remains undecided. Promoter Turki Alalshikh reportedly prefers the United States, but current contracts state the fight must take place in the United Kingdom.
“Until we’re happy, we expect every point of that contract to be followed,” Hearn said. “If they want to change the contract, then we have to renegotiate the contract.”
Wembley Stadium in London and Principality Stadium in Cardiff have been mentioned as possible venues. Fury’s manager Spencer Brown said decisions will be made by Alalshikh and Netflix within the next two weeks.
Fury questioned whether Joshua has the courage to face him, referencing Joshua’s decision not to enter the ring after Fury’s April fight in front of 70,000 fans at Tottenham.
“The biggest test of it all is how big his guts are,” Fury said. “In Tottenham in front of 70,000 people, he never had the guts to get in the ring and face me.”
Joshua’s performance against Prenga raised questions about his ability to compete at the highest level. He improved his record to 30-4 with 27 knockouts, while Prenga’s record dropped to 20-2.
Fury’s manager confirmed they expect to announce fight details within two weeks once remaining contractual issues are resolved.
