Anthony Joshua has shared an unexpected perspective on his recent boxing match against Kristian Prenga, stating that the challenging nature of the bout has left him feeling more resilient than ever. The fight in Saudi Arabia on Saturday saw Joshua floored twice in the opening round, first within 20 seconds and then again later in the same round, by the relatively unknown Albanian opponent. However, 'AJ' rallied to secure a second-round knockout, crucially keeping his highly anticipated showdown with Tyson Fury on track for later this year.
While many boxing enthusiasts and pundits might have viewed the early knockdowns as a sign of vulnerability ahead of the all-British heavyweight clash, Joshua himself has drawn a different conclusion. Speaking on the 5 Live Boxing Podcast with Independent columnist Steve Bunce, Joshua explained his reaction, noting that he was laughing after securing the win. "I was laughing because I enjoy it, but I was like, ‘God damn! Don’t lose this Tyson Fury fight,’ and we’re here. We’re here," he recounted, adding, "I definitely feel – from this – I’m unstoppable now, because I’ve seen it all, I’ve done it all, I’ve been through so much."
The 36-year-old also touched upon the emotional weight he carried into the ring, revealing this was his first fight since a fatal car crash in December that claimed the lives of two of his teammates, Sina Ghami and Latif 'Latz' Ayodele. "This is my first fight without having my brothers here as well, so my heart was still with them," Joshua stated, highlighting the spiritual aspect of his sport. He credited the support of others for helping him overcome adversity, saying, "If you’ve got people with you, and your spirit’s in the right place, you can walk through fire, man."
Joshua's win came just a day after his rival, 37-year-old Tyson Fury, secured a victory of his own, stopping 46-year-old Mariusz Wach in seven rounds in Thailand. That bout, which was not widely broadcast, saw Wach unable to continue for the eighth round. This marked Fury's second fight in four months, following an April win against Arslanbek Makhmudov in Tottenham. The two previous points losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2024 had seen Fury come out of retirement for the fifth time.
Interestingly, Usyk, who defeated Joshua in 2021 and 2022, has reportedly been involved in training 'AJ' in recent months and was observed looking relieved at ringside in Jeddah as Joshua navigated the challenge presented by Prenga. Joshua's previous fight before the car crash was a sixth-round stoppage of YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, ten days prior to the incident in Nigeria. The contrasting performances of both Joshua and Fury in their recent outings have further intensified anticipation for their upcoming championship bout.