Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua produced a remarkable comeback to defeat Albanian boxer Kristian Prenga by second-round technical knockout in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, before paying an emotional tribute to his late friends, Latz and Sina.
The victory keeps Joshua on course for a potential blockbuster showdown with fellow British heavyweight Tyson Fury later this year.
Joshua Recovers From Early Knockdown
The fight began in dramatic fashion as Prenga floored Joshua with a powerful uppercut just 30 seconds into the opening round.
Although the Briton beat the referee’s count, the Albanian continued to apply pressure and forced another count before Joshua regained his composure.
The former heavyweight champion responded impressively in the second round, using his jab to control the distance before landing a devastating right hand.
He then trapped Prenga against the ropes and unleashed a flurry of punches, forcing the referee to stop the contest two minutes and 43 seconds into the round.
Anthony Joshua returns to winning ways with emphatic second-round kn%ckout of Kristian Prenga pic.twitter.com/OnzzPBEDIJ
— Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) July 26, 2026
Eyes on Tyson Fury Fight
Reflecting on the victory, Joshua said he remained calm after the difficult opening round.
“I got through the early danger, adjusted the distance with the jab and executed the combination at the right moment to finish the fight,” he said.
He also hinted that negotiations for a long-awaited clash with Tyson Fury could now move forward.
“I fulfilled today’s commitment and the route is clear to finalise the details of the fight against Tyson Fury,” Joshua added.
Emotional Tribute to Late Friends
Moments after the victory, Joshua became emotional while speaking inside the ring as he remembered two close friends, Latz and Sina.
“That was spirit, that was Latz, that was Sina, that was the families. That hurts even talking about it… It’s been tough. It’s my brothers. But I don’t want to talk about it,” he said while fighting back tears.
His heartfelt tribute drew sympathy from boxing fans, many of whom praised the resilience he showed both inside and outside the ring.
“That was spirit, that was Latz, that was Sina, that was the families” — Emotional Anthony Joshua dedicates comeback win to late friends pic.twitter.com/N1BEAxNZWq
— Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) July 26, 2026
