Anthony Joshua rallies after first round knockdowns to secure knockout victory

Bad Left Hook2 min read • Latest: Jul 26, 2026, 1:36 PM

Last updated Jul 26, 2026

Anthony Joshua rallies after first round knockdowns to secure knockout victory
Summary

Anthony Joshua faced Kristian Prenga in a heavyweight bout in Jeddah on July 25, 2026. Joshua was knocked down twice in the first round but recovered in the second, knocking out Prenga and securing a much-anticipated match against Tyson Fury later this year. The fight was a comeback for Joshua after a year off, following his last match in 2024. Joshua stated he learned a valuable lesson from the early knockdowns, emphasizing the need to start stronger in future fights.

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  • Joshua knocked down twice in the first round before winning in the second.
  • The bout took place in Jeddah at the Superdome.
  • Joshua prepares for a future fight against Tyson Fury.
  • He cited the experience as a valuable lesson for his boxing approach.
  • Joshua's previous fight was against Daniel Dubois in 2024.
Latest Updates
  • 2:09 PMBad Left Hook‘I learned a lot in that moment’: Anthony Joshua reacts to early knockdowns
  • 1:36 PMYahoo SportsAnthony Joshua reacts to first round knockdowns in scary tune-up fight: ‘I learned a valuable lesson’
What they're saying
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Anthony Joshua had a disastrous start to his fight with Kristian Prenga over the weekend, and after getting dropped twice in the opening round and scaring the daylights out of his handlers, he managed to come back with his own stoppage in the second. Joshua said he experienced a moment of clarity in the ring during this time. “One thing I’ve learned in there, I said ‘okay, these are starting fast, they’re not coming to box 12 rounds and see if they can outbox me, they’re coming to try to take my head off,’ Joshua realized. ‘‘And you know what, in the second round I said to myself ‘I can do the same.’ What am I waiting 12 rounds to break ‘em down? I got some power in my hands so I might as well land some leather as well. And I learned a lot in that moment. “I wanted to get round one out the way and start working the jab and build into the fight. But these guys main game plan is to just come, see what punches they can land and hope for the best. “I still had my wits about me. It weren’t ideal but one thing for sure is you can’t go into a fight thinking it’s going to be sweet. These guys are coming to knock me out in round one, they’re not waiting four, five, six rounds and I learned that in there…I can do that, and I’m on it now.”

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Anthony Joshua’s return to the ring after a year off almost went horribly wrong when his tune-up opponent Kristian Prenga came out guns blazing, knocking the former champion down twice in the first round (highlights here). Joshua would collect himself in the second and put Prenga’s lights out, saving the much-hyped Anthony Joshua vs. Tyson […]

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