Anthony Joshua Targets First-Round Knockout Against Tyson Fury

Anthony Joshua says his scare against Kristian Prenga has changed his approach as he prepares to face Tyson Fury in their heavyweight showdown in Cardiff on December 11.

Joshua and Fury will meet at the Principality Stadium in a fight streamed on Netflix as part of a Ring show. The bout will finally bring the British heavyweights together after years of rivalry and several failed attempts to make the fight happen.

Joshua, who has a 30-4 record with 27 knockouts, was knocked down twice by Prenga in the first round of their July 25 fight in Saudi Arabia. The Albanian dropped him with a right uppercut within the opening 20 seconds before flooring him again towards the end of the round.

The former two-time world champion recovered to stop Prenga in the second round with a combination finished by a right hand. It was his first fight since surviving a fatal car accident in December.

Joshua told The Ring’s Mike Coppinger that the experience against Prenga changed his mindset about heavyweight boxing.

“The Prenga fight woke me up. It made me realise my motto that boxing is not a sport. Boxing is a fight; never lose sight of that,” he said.

Joshua had entered the Prenga fight intending to wear his opponent down over several rounds, but he now wants to make his offence count from the opening bell against Fury.

“I cannot go in there thinking I am going to break this fighter down over the course of the rounds. I am going to take you out in round one if I can,” Joshua said.

Fury, who has a 36-2-1 record with 25 knockouts, stopped Mariusz Wach in Thailand the night before Joshua fought Prenga. Their December 11 meeting will be contested for the vacant WBA “super” heavyweight title.