Eddie Hearn feared Anthony Joshua’s ‘career was over’ after shock Kristian Prenga knockdowns

EDDIE HEARN feared Anthony Joshua’s career was OVER after he was knocked down twice by Kristian Prenga. The two-time heavyweight world champion returned in Jeddah for what was expected to be a routine demolition job of unknown Albanian Prenga. Anthony Joshua was dropped twice by Kristian Prenga Credit: Getty But he came back to secure victory in round two Credit: AP But the comeback bout came just eight months on from the tragic car crash that claimed the lives of Joshua’s two close friends in Nigeria in December. And Hearn felt AJ – who survived with only bruised ribs but a mental scar you can never recover from – jumped back into the ring too early. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! He was down after 20 SECONDS following a right uppercut before climbing off the canvas following a left hand moments later. But Joshua – who called on the spirit of the late Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami – pulled it around in round two with a right hook to keep his career alive. Hearn told SunSport on the ring apron: “That was the most dramatic, emotional four minutes certainly of my career maybe my life. “So many emotions going through your mind in what was probably two and a half minutes of just unbelievable drama. “I just can’t believe he found a way to win. Honestly. All week, you kind of start thinking to yourself, ‘Has he come back too early?’ “He needed boxing to get over the grief but also he hasn’t got over the grief, does that make sense? Most read in Sport BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Anthony Joshua vs Kristian Prenga - all the info Anthony Joshua has BEATEN Kristian Prenga in his comeback fight “But it’s a quick fix and it’s helped him so much. But he goes down like that and it’s like, ‘Did he come back too early?’ “What did he have, like 24 breaks in his ribs or something like that. And then I started thinking to myself, ‘It’s over, the career is over.’ “I actually thought to myself at one stage, what an unbelievable journey I’m so proud of him that he made it back and if this is the moment when it’s all over, then what a ride. “To get back after what happened, I’m so proud of him. And then when he made it back to the stool, I was like if he can just get his legs. “Because one thing he’s got that he will never lose is concussive power because if he hits you one time on the chin then the fight changes. “And he hit Prenga about a minute before he stopped him with one right hand and everything just changed. He started to back up a little. The Home of Boxing in 2026 There's a massive year of boxing ahead! It’s shaping up to be a blockbuster year of action inside the boxing ring. The Gypsy King has beaten Mariusz Wach in his second fight of the year to set up a huge fight with Anthony Joshua And AJ did the same, knocking out Kristian Prenga in the second round of a thrilling encounter – the Brit was knocked down twice in the opening round. And Moses Itauma returns for his toughest fight yet against Filip Hrgovic in August. Here’s all the big fights coming up… July Sun 26 – Errol Spence Jr vs Tim Tszyu August Sat 1 – Pierce O’Leary vs Mark Chamberlain – DAZN Sat 15 – Claressa Shields vs Kaye Scott – DAZN Sat 29 – Moses Itauma vs Filip Hrgovic – DAZN September Sat 12 – Conor Benn vs Ryan Garcia – DAZN *If you click a link in this boxout, we will earn affiliate revenue. “And the knockout, that’s what he does. And I know he’s shown signs of vulnerability at times and I know he makes mistakes. “But, he can knock you out cold at any moment. And when he fights Tyson Fury, that’s the kind of fight it’s going to be.” Joshua, 36, and Fury, 37, have already signed contracts to finally commence their Battle of Britain. But no date and location has been decided with AJ’s deal stipulating that the bout MUST take place in the UK. New York’s Madison Square Garden has emerged as a controversial frontrunner to host in a bid to accommodate US viewing time on Netflix. Fury returned with a warm-up win of his own one day before AJ – dancing around 46-year-old Polish punchbag Mariusz Wach for seven rounds in Thailand. Tyson Fury cruised past Mariusz Wach Credit: AFP Eddie Hearn celebrating with Joshua Credit: Getty Hearn is now set for talks but insisted if the fight is to head Stateside then their deal would have to be renegotiated. He said: “Apparently those guys are gonna come and see me next week to talk about what they want to do. “It’s pretty clear they want the fight in America. We don’t. “The fight is agreed and signed – if they follow everything in the contract which is how business works. If they want to change the terms then there has to be a conversation.” Saudi boxing financier Turki Alalshikh – who is fronting the cash for the all-Brit fight – appears adamant on taking it to America to capitalise on primetime US viewing. It would leave Hearn – who has spent the last decade trying to make the bout happen – among the disappointed home fans if an away day gets signed off. He said: “I’ve got the same anger and frustration. I feel exactly the same way about the British fight fans. “In fact, love me or hate me, I am a British fight fan. I’m just the same as the people that want it in Britain. Just my name’s involved in it. “And even for my legacy, I don’t want this fight in America.” Comment now