Broadcaster Simon Jordan has raised questions about the legitimacy of Anthony Joshua's victory over Kristian Prenga, citing the dramatic shift in momentum during the fight as potentially suspicious, especially given the imminent showdown with Tyson Fury.
Joshua, returning to the ring after a seven-month hiatus, faced a challenging first round against Prenga. The Albanian boxer knocked Joshua down twice within the opening minutes, raising concerns that the highly anticipated fight with Fury might be jeopardized.
However, the second round saw a stark reversal. Joshua mounted a powerful offensive, forcing Prenga towards the ropes and ultimately securing a knockout victory. This swift comeback followed Fury's own win against Mariusz Wach just 24 hours prior, clearing the path for the high-stakes clash between the two British heavyweights.
Jordan voiced his skepticism on social media, posting, "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…"
Punch statistics from the fight appeared to support the narrative of a significant shift. In the first round, Joshua landed only five of 22 attempted punches, while Prenga connected with 15 of 32. The dynamic changed in the second round, with Joshua landing 13 of 46 punches and Prenga's accuracy dropping to three of 17.
Despite Jordan's comments, Joshua maintained that "champions rise." In a post-fight interview, he stated, "He [Prenga] gave me a good test but this is what champions do, we rise. We get knocked down and stand up. That is life, that is life's motto."
Joshua also used the platform to pay tribute to his close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif 'Latz' Ayodele, who died in a car crash in December. He wore trunks with their names and a jacket adorned with medals and their names, with "Latz x Sina, My Brother's Keeper, MBK" printed on the canvas in his corner. Joshua acknowledged the emotional toll of their loss, stating, "It's been tough. That's my brothers. I don't want to talk about that."
Matchroom Boxing chief Eddie Hearn admitted on DAZN that he had feared Joshua had returned too soon, especially after the first-round struggles. "Nobody can imagine what he's been through in that last seven months. In that first round, I thought we'd come back too soon," Hearn said. "Boxing got him through. To even be in the ring tonight is astonishing. You don't know what he's been through. He had to go to the depths one more time to get up, like he has done the last seven months."
Joshua, who signed contracts for the Fury fight before his bout with Prenga, addressed Fury directly in the ring, stating, "I am the meanest, most vicious champion. Nobody can stop me. He is no Oleksandr [Usyk]." He added, "I hope the fans will be in for a lovely treat."