Anthony Joshua vs. Kristian Prenga live results, round-by-round updates, ring walks, start time for Joshua's return

In heavyweight boxing, one punch can change everything. Rarely has that adage been as relevant as on Saturday, when Anthony Joshua got caught cold by Kristian Prenga, who checked Joshua’s chin with a right uppercut and dropped him just 19 seconds into the first round of their heavyweight bout at the Jeddah Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. For years, former unified heavyweight champion Joshua (30-4, 27 KOs) has been linked with his compatriot, Tyson Fury. And though they could have fought thrice already, a Joshua win this weekend was expected to finally tee up that long-awaited superfight following Fury's finish of Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Friday. But Prenga (20-2, 20 KOs) showed, with just one punch, that over-marination of a fight is in fact very real. Sometimes it's better just to book the damned thing. Because if Prenga's uppercut wasn't enough to demonstrate that upsets can happen, the Albanian puncher drove the point home again with a barrage of blows later in the opening round, causing Joshua to touch the canvas for a second time, this time with his glove, and forcing the referee to give Joshua a second 10-count.Anthony Joshua with the CRAZY comebackGets dropped twice in the first round and secured a BRUTAL KO in the second round 🔥(via fightbell/IG)pic.twitter.com/yZQVwhcVE2— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 25, 2026 Alas, when it comes to battles between big men, big punches can do a lot of things. And one big punch can change everything. Joshua, you see, was not done. It took Joshua seven months to return to the ring following his sixth-round knockout of crossover sensation Jake Paul last December. Tragedy stuck shortly after that win, with a car accident claiming the lives of two of Joshua's best friends and nearly taking Joshua's own as well. The former champ grieved. He mourned. His promoter, Eddie Hearn, said he'd give Joshua space to return only when he was ready. Saturday was that comeback. Hearn said, upon watching that first round, that maybe the 36-year-old Brit had come back "too soon." Maybe he wasn't ready. But a "higher power" roused him, Joshua said. Something "more than" helped get Joshua off the canvas, and it ensured he survived a near-calamitous opening round. A minute break before the second round was all Joshua needed to recover. Shortly thereafter, a big right hand, a short-range left and then a clubbing punch sent Prenga to the canvas. He fell onto the bottom rung of the ropes, hanging awkwardly off it. The moment Anthony Joshua knocked out Kristian Prenga! 😳#JoshuaPrenga ▪️ pic.twitter.com/ozAV5r3wJI— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 25, 2026 ALL THE ANGLES OF AJ'S ELECTRIC KNOCKOUT! ⚡️#JoshuaPrenga ▪️ pic.twitter.com/Ux9LemgBX7— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 25, 2026 The referee counted, but Prenga didn't make it. It was all over. Joshua prevailed in one of the wildest, weirdest, two-round shootouts in modern combat sports history. The fight ensures Joshua can now move ahead into a Fury mega-fight, tentatively planned for later in the year — a bout Hearn said is already "signed." But that wasn't the only drama on the day. Earlier, Hamzah Sheeraz (24-0-1, 19 KOs) retained his WBO super middleweight world title with a listless win over Simon Zachenhuber (29-2, 19 KOs), IBF super welterweight champion Josh Kelly (19-1-1, 9 KOs) was unfazed at his mask of blood as he bested Caoimhin Agyarko (18-1, 7 KOs) on the scorecards, and Reito Tsatsumi (5-0, 4 KOs) reiterated his reputation as one to watch with a bludgeoning of Alvino Herrera (18-1-2, 11 KOs). Two other standouts on the 13-bout card included Oleksandr Khyzniak (2-0, 2 KOs), who battered Lenny Patrach (8-1-1, 5 KOs) in two rounds, and Nishant Dev (7-0, 5 KOs), who only needed one to overcome Cesar Diaz (10-3, 5 KOs).This KO from Nishant Dev was incredible! 🇮🇳#JoshuaPrenga pic.twitter.com/UZhXvhPcIp— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 26, 2026 Main card Heavyweight: Anthony Joshua def. Kristian Prenga by second-round KO WBO super middleweight title: Hamzah Sheeraz def. Simon Zachenhuber via majority decision (114-114, 115-113, 116-112) IBF super welterweight title: Josh Kelly def. Caoimhin Agyarko via unanimous decision (114-113, 115-112, 115-112) Super featherweight: Reito Tsutsumi def. Alvino Herrera via second-round TKO | Watch finish Super middleweight: Jacob Bank def. Pawel August via unanimous decision (80-72, 80-72, 80-72) Super welterweight: Nishant Dev def. Cesar Diaz via first-round TKO | Watch finishPreliminary card Light heavyweight: Oleksandr Khyzniak def. Lenny Patrach via second-round TKO | Watch finish Super lightweight: Ziyad Almaayouf def. Frank Mango via unanimous decision (78-71, 77-72, 77-72) Flyweight: Mikie Tallon def. Orlando Pino via first-round KO | Watch finish Super featherweights: Mohammed Alakel def. Lydon Chircop via fifth-round TKO | Watch finish Featherweight: Sultan Almohammed def. Efren Besalduch via third-round TKO Middleweight: Omar Hikal def. Brian Castellano via unanimous decision (40-35, 40-35, 40-35) Super lightweight: Mohamed Moubarak def. Bryan Zapata via unanimous decision (39-37, 40-36, 40-36)