Anthony Joshua almost dropped one of the most stunning upsets in history in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, surviving two brutal knockdowns in the opening round against Kristian Prenga before roaring back to flatten him in the second. Just when it looked like the highly anticipated Tyson Fury showdown was in jeopardy again, Joshua reminded everyone why he’s still a top dog, ending the fight at 2:43 in the second round.
First Round Chaos: Prenga’s Hammers Drop AJ Twice!
Man, the first round was pure chaos. Prenga came out swinging, and nobody saw what happened next coming. He blasted Joshua with an uppercut that sent the former heavyweight champion crashing to the canvas. Joshua got back to his feet, but he looked absolutely shocked, maybe even dealing with some kind of leg injury because he was unstable. Prenga kept pouring on the pressure, just trying to put Joshua back down. And guess what? He did it again! Another ferocious right hand from Prenga wobbled AJ, putting him down for a second time. It was a wild exchange to close out the round, but Joshua, ever the showman, actually smiled at Prenga before heading to his corner. What a start, right? You gotta wonder what was going through his head in that minute between rounds.
The “Higher Power” Comeback That Shook The Superdome
Whatever he told himself or whoever was in his corner, Joshua came out for the second round like a completely different fighter. He was aggressive, throwing combinations, and you could see Prenga start to lose steam, his earlier fire fading fast. Joshua backed Prenga right into the corner and just unloaded with a barrage of stiff punches. He knew Prenga was hurt, and he didn’t let up. Joshua came after him with everything he had in his arsenal, blasting the Albanian heavyweight with a massive shot that sent him not just to the canvas, but *through the bottom rope!* Yeah, you read that right. Through the ropes! Prenga was done the second he hit the canvas, and the referee waved off the fight after giving him a moment to recover. Joshua later said, “It was more than me that just picked me up. It can’t just be me. There’s a higher power that’s calling.” You gotta wonder if that higher power had Fury on speed dial.
This comeback win puts Joshua exactly where he wants to be, right back in position for one of the biggest boxing matches of the year. His promoter, Eddie Hearn, confirmed the long-awaited fight against Tyson Fury is already signed for later this year. Joshua wasn’t shy about calling out Fury either, shouting, “Have we got Tyson Fury in the room, actually? To more important matters, I’m going to rip his heart out. I’m the meanest and most vicious champion there’s ever been. Nobody can stop me. Alexander? No, he’s no Alexander.” He added, “I respect everything that he’s done and everything he’s achieved but as a fighting person who’s been calling for this fight for a long time … I think he fans will be in for a treat.” After that fight, you know the Fury matchup is going to be absolutely insane! Get ready, fight fans, because things are about to get real.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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