Anthony Joshua Knocked Down in 20 Seconds… Still Wins by KO!

Anthony Joshua was knocked down twice early in the fight but managed to get back on his feet and win by technical knockout against Kristian Prenga in the second round, taking another step closer to his highly anticipated fight with Tyson Fury.

Prenga isn’t a top star like Joshua, but he’s a formidable fighter. Before the fight, he had one loss and 20 wins, all by knockout, including a 16-fight winning streak since 2017. In Jeddah on July 25th, he gave Joshua a tough start and nearly caused an upset that could have derailed his plans for a fight with Fury.

Prenga started impressively, knocking Joshua down in less than 20 seconds with a powerful uppercut. In the first three minutes, the Albanian fighter knocked Joshua down twice, resulting in the worst round of his professional career.

However, the tide quickly turned in the second round. After the break, Joshua returned to a more aggressive style, unleashing a series of powerful right-hand punches before finishing the fight with a combination at 2 minutes and 43 seconds, knocking Prenga down and forcing the referee to stop the fight.

This marks Joshua’s first fight since the December car accident that killed his close associates, strength and conditioning coach Latif “Latz” Ayodele and personal trainer Sina Ghami.

Joshua spent months recovering from the shock to return to the ring. The 35-year-old fighter said that at times, even getting out of bed each morning became difficult. He spent about two months just cycling in place, then gradually regained his fitness with balance exercises before being able to return to high-intensity training.

Joshua also turned his comeback into a tribute to his two deceased friends. He wore camouflage shorts with Ghami and Ayodele’s names printed on them, and a military-style jacket adorned with medals representing his four IBF, IBO, WBA, and WBO championship belts, along with two armbands bearing Ghami and Ayodele’s names.

After the fight, Joshua emotionally dedicated his victory to the memory of his deceased friends. “This wasn’t just the power of the punches. It was the spirit of Latz, of Sina, and their families. Every time I think about it, it still hurts. They were my brothers,” the British boxer expressed.

Joshua later broke down in tears during an in-ring interview when asked how he had overcome such a difficult time. “They were my brothers. I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” he choked out.

In February, Joshua tattooed Ghami and Ayodele’s names on his arm to commemorate his two close friends. The British boxer also pledged to continue providing financial support to Ghami and Ayodele’s families and to pursue the goals they had set for each other.

24 hours before Joshua’s fight, Tyson Fury also knocked out Mariusz Wach in Thailand. Following Fury and Joshua’s victories, the most anticipated heavyweight showdown in British boxing history is drawing closer to becoming a reality. According to British media, the two fighters have signed a contract, but the venue has yet to be announced.

Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn want the fight to take place in England, claiming it’s “the biggest boxing match in British history” and deserves to be held in front of a home crowd. Meanwhile, promoter Turki Alalshikh and his streaming partner Netflix are reportedly prioritizing holding the event at Madison Square Garden in New York (USA). Negotiations are expected to continue in the coming days to finalize the venue.

However, experts remain cautious, as heavyweight boxing has seen many major fights fall through at the last minute. Most recently, plans for Joshua to face Deontay Wilder in late 2023 were cancelled after the American fighter unexpectedly lost to Joseph Parker.

Fury questioned whether Joshua had the courage to step into the ring to face him. Joshua responded after his victory: “I will take away his will to fight. I am the fiercest and most fiery champion that has ever appeared.”

Fury has held numerous world heavyweight championship belts, including winning all four prestigious titles: WBA, IBF, IBO, and WBO from 2015-2016, twice holding the Ring belt from 2015-2022, and the WBC belt from 2020-2024. At the regional level, the 2.06-meter tall boxer has won the British Championship twice, the European Championship, the Commonwealth Championship, and many other heavyweight titles.

In his professional career, Fury has a record of 36 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses, both against Oleksandr Usyk. Before turning professional, he had a distinguished amateur record with a bronze medal at the 2006 World Junior Championships, a gold medal at the 2007 EU Junior Championships, a silver medal at the 2007 European Junior Championships, and the 2008 ABA Super Heavyweight title.

Fury is among the highest-earning athletes on the planet, ranking third on Sportico and Forbes’ 2025 list, with estimated earnings of around $146-147 million. According to BoxRec, Fury is in the top 10 active heavyweight boxers, while The Ring ranks him as the world’s number two, behind only champion Oleksandr Usyk.

Joshua is also a top British heavyweight boxer, having made a name for himself with a technical knockout victory over “Dr. Steelhammer” Wladimir Klitschko in 2017. However, his career has declined in recent years, including two consecutive losses to Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk, costing him his title. In his professional career, he has 4 losses and 30 wins, including 27 knockouts.