Anthony Joshua escapes needle when he fights Kristian Prenga

JAKARTA - Anthony Joshua keeps the opportunity for a big duel against Tyson Fury after dramatically rising from two knockdowns to stop Kristian Prenga in the second round while marking a comeback to the ring in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The result also reopened the road to the duel between Joshua and Fury. The fight between the two British boxers is said to have been agreed to be held in November 2026 although the official date and location of the match has not been announced.

"We have signed the contract. Everything is done," said Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, regarding the plan for the duel, quoted from BBC Sport.

Joshua was on the verge of a shocking defeat against Prenga. The British boxer fell twice on the canvas in the first round, including after being hit with a hard uppercut just 20 seconds after the match started.

The situation has put the long-awaited Joshua vs Fury fight back in jeopardy. A defeat to Prenga could see the duel between the two former British heavyweight champions delayed again.

However, Joshua showed a champion's mentality. The 36-year-old boxer got up in the second round and unleashed a right hand that made Prenga from Albania fall again. The referee then stopped the match and gave the victory to Joshua.

The duel between Joshua and Fury is indeed one of the most anticipated fights in British boxing history. Both are the two biggest names in the heavyweight class, but until now they have never faced each other in the ring.

Fury had previously been a topic of discussion in Joshua's match in Jeddah after winning against Mariusz Wach in Thailand. Many expected the Gypsy King boxer to be present to watch Joshua's fight live.

However, Fury did not appear in the arena. In fact, a figure similar to him had fooled reporters when he got out of a taxi. Fury's manager, Spencer Brown, previously only said his client would "be present spiritually".

Joshua admitted that he had great respect for Fury and all his achievements. However, after the fight contract was signed, he hoped that the duel that had been awaited for more than a decade could come true.

"I respect everything he has done and everything he has achieved. However, as a fighter, we are here now. I hope the fans will get a great fight," said Joshua.

So far there is no certainty whether the fight will take place in England or the United States. British fans hope the duel will be held as a home game, while the organizers and broadcast rights holders in Saudi Arabia are said to be considering the United States to reach a wider audience market.

This duel is expected to be broadcast via Netflix. Although Joshua and Fury are considered to have passed the best time in their careers, the commercial appeal of the fight remains very large.

Seeing Joshua's performance is still vulnerable, Fury is expected to be the favorite if the two really meet. However, for Joshua, the victory over Prenga is not just about keeping the plan for a duel against Fury.

The fight will be a testament to his resurgence after going through a full seven months of trials, including a car accident in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, in late December last year.

"Nobody knows what he has been through in the last seven months. When he fell in the first round, I think he got back into the ring too quickly," said Hearn.