The Nigerian Sports Commission (NSC) has congratulated Anthony Joshua on his knockout win against Albanian heavyweight boxer Kristian Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.
Prenga almost pulled off a major heavyweight upset against Joshua in a match-up that many expected to be a straightforward runout for the former heavyweight champion, in order to lead to the long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury later this year.
Prenga started the fight extremely well, displaying the big power that has seen him win 20 of his 21 fights by knockout when he dropped Joshua in the opening seconds of the contest with an uppercut.
Another knockdown in round one followed soon afterwards, though Joshua was then able to recover as Prenga allowed his rival back into the fight in the second round.
He paid the price for that, as Joshua landed a huge shot that sent the Albanian crashing to the canvas, earning ‘AJ’ the second round knockout win and denying Prenga the shock victory.
Reacting to the win, NSC wrote:”On Saturday, 25 July 2026, British-Nigerian boxing star @anthonyjoshua made a triumphant return to the ring, defeating Albania’s Kristian Prenga by second-round knockout at the Jeddah Superdome in Saudi Arabia.
“After surviving two first-round knockdowns, Joshua showed the resilience and champion’s mentality that have defined his career, producing a stunning comeback victory.
“His words captured the emotion behind the performance and served as a reminder that some victories are driven by purpose, resilience and the people we carry with us.
“The National Sports Commission congratulates Anthony Joshua on this inspiring comeback and wishes him continued success in the next chapter of his illustrious career.”
