Joshua scores dramatic comeback KO win over Prenga

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Anthony Joshua displayed resilience and mental fortitude to cap his boxing return in style after pulling off an insane come-from-behind knockout victory over Kristian Prenga on July 26, 2026, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The former two-time unified heavyweight champion overcame two knockdowns in the first round before finishing Prenga with a vicious right hand with 26 seconds remaining in the second round.

Entering the fight after a one-year hiatus, Joshua’s ring rust was evident from the opening bell as his predictable ring movement created plenty of opportunities for Prenga to break the bout wide open.

With just 20 seconds remaining in the first round, Prenga boosted his upset chances after scoring the first knockdown of the fight, tagging Joshua with a sneaky right uppercut during a clinch sequence.

Joshua immediately got back to his feet, but Prenga scored another knockdown with 40 seconds remaining in the round after a well-timed one-two punch combination landed.

Prenga went for the kill and stalked Joshua for the rest of the opener, but the more experienced heavyweight star avoided further damage by backpedaling away from danger.

Just when Prenga thought Joshua would fold under the pressure, the second round quickly flipped the script as the British pug stepped into another gear to begin his comeback attempt on a high note.

Now looser and more familiar with Prenga’s punching pattern, Joshua leaned on his stiff jab to gain momentum while pressing forward.

After a passive first-round outing, Joshua dominated the second round to neutralize Prenga’s uppercuts and left straight.

The crowning moment came at the 2:43 mark, when Joshua hit Prenga with a clean three-punch combination capped by a snappy right hand.

Prenga failed to beat the referee’s mandatory count, crawling his way to the ropes in a sign of surrender. After a stellar first-round performance, the Albanian challenger could not sustain his momentum in the second round, dropping to 20 wins and two losses.

On the other hand, Joshua’s highly anticipated return to professional boxing ended with a dramatic victory, improving his record to 30 wins, 27 knockouts and four losses.