Anthony Joshua got the win, but there are still plenty of questions.

Writer’s Opinion

Joshua’s second-round knockout victory over Kristian Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, may have secured the result, but the performance was far from convincing. Being knocked down twice in the opening round exposed defensive weaknesses that a world-class heavyweight like Tyson Fury would likely exploit.

While Joshua showed resilience by recovering and finishing the fight in the second round, his slow start and vulnerability against an opponent not considered among the heavyweight elite suggest he still has work to do. Fury’s movement, ring IQ, awkward style, and ability to control distance would present a much tougher challenge than Prenga.

If a Joshua-Fury showdown happens, Joshua will need to tighten his defense, improve his head movement, and avoid the lapses that nearly cost him against Prenga. Against Fury, recovering from two early knockdowns may not be an option.

Based on this performance alone, Joshua did enough to win, but not enough to convince everyone that he is ready to defeat Tyson Fury. In my view, it was a below-average performance despite the knockout victory.