Kristian Prenga fires back at Simon Jordan over Anthony Joshua conspiracy theory
Kristian Prenga has now replied to Simon Jordan’s idea that something seemed off during his loss to Anthony Joshua.
Prenga faced the former unified champion on Saturday night in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and nearly pulled off a huge upset. The Albanian knocked Joshua down with a strong right hand just 20 seconds in, and sent him to the canvas again later in the round.
But Prenga, 35, couldn’t keep up the same energy and aggression. Joshua, who looked much stronger in round two, showed why he’s a top fighter. He landed a powerful combination that pushed Prenga through the ropes and ended the fight, wiping sweat from his forehead afterward.
This win was key for 36-year-old Joshua as it set up his big match against Tyson Fury later this year, after beating Mariusz Wach in a private fight in Thailand.
Even though Joshua made a great comeback after a shaky start, Simon Jordan was one of the voices who suggested something fishy was going on. Jordan said he couldn’t believe how much Prenga’s level dropped in the second round and thought the fight was made to earn the most money possible, mentioning Fury’s upcoming fight with Joshua.
He wrote on X, “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.”
Later, Jordan softened his take a bit, saying, “It just didn’t make sense at first, and I wasn’t happy about it. But hearing how Prenga’s team told him in the second round to take it easy and watch Joshua first made me think maybe I was wrong to suspect something was off.”
Jordan’s comments caused quite a reaction from those involved. Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith dismissed Jordan’s theory, and now Prenga himself has spoken out to clear things up.
Talking to SveaCasino, Prenga said, “What Simon Jordan said is completely false and unfair. AJ and I both have respect for the sport and would never be part of anything like that.
“I needed to save my energy and catch my breath, so I started slower to recharge. Sadly, it didn’t work out, and that slower pace let AJ take control.”
He also revealed he was sick before the fight and missed several days of training. “What did I learn? Don’t get sick during training camp because missing those cardio sessions made a big difference after round one,” he added.
Looking ahead, Prenga is thinking about his next fight. He said, “My manager, Keith Sullivan, is a lawyer and boxing manager. He’s talking to the right people and planning the next steps. Maybe I’ll fight in Albania or return to Saudi Arabia. For now, I’m resting and letting Keith handle everything.”