Kristian Prenga, who recently lost to Anthony Joshua, has strongly criticized sports presenter Simon Jordan for questioning the integrity of their heavyweight bout. Jordan had expressed skepticism on X, formerly Twitter, suggesting that Joshua's dramatic turnaround in the fight, after being knocked down twice in the first round, was suspicious and potentially orchestrated for financial gain.
"Not having that … #anthonyjoshua fight ..:Dropped twice and sets the tempo, how’s that ? … Prenga totally different in 2nd Something not quite right , all designed to rinse maximum amount of money …," Jordan posted on July 25, 2026.
Prenga, however, dismissed these allegations as "completely false and irresponsible." Speaking to SveaCasino, the Albanian boxer stated, "AJ and I have integrity; we would never engage in this stupidity." He explained his performance by saying he felt he needed to "preserve energy and catch my breath, so I thought I would start slow and replenish my energy." He admitted that this slower pace allowed Joshua to gain control of the fight.
Joshua secured a victory over Prenga in the second round in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after overcoming an early deficit. The fight's dramatic conclusion had sparked debate among observers.
Following this bout, Joshua is slated to face long-time rival Tyson Fury later this year. Prenga offered his prediction for the highly anticipated British heavyweight showdown, expressing confidence that Joshua will defeat Fury.
"It is tough to predict these things [AJ vs. Fury]. I think both are tough and good fighters but AJ knocks Tyson Fury out," Prenga stated. He also voiced a willingness to fight Fury himself, saying, "I would fight Tyson any day. He ran his mouth before my fight with AJ. I would welcome showing him my Albanian power in the ring anytime he is ready for it!"
