Kristian Prenga has given Anthony Joshua credit for his punching power after suffering the first knockdown of his career in their heavyweight fight last month.
Prenga entered the Jeddah bout as a major underdog but produced a huge surprise in the opening round, dropping Joshua with a right uppercut inside the first 20 seconds. The Albanian then floored Joshua for a second time before the end of the round.
Joshua recovered quickly, however, and turned the fight around in the second round before stopping Prenga with a powerful right hand.
“Of course, it’s power because it’s the first time I got knocked down in my career, in my life,” Prenga said. “I’ve never been knocked down in sparring. It’s the first time. I think he has the power.”
Prenga’s performance may have ended in defeat, but dropping Joshua twice has likely raised his profile and could lead to bigger opportunities in his next fight.
Image Credit: Matchroom Boxing