Anthony Joshua vs Kristian Prenga

It’s not that unusual to find a guy who has only ever fought mediocre or less-than-mediocre opposition, gets to the age of 35 with no standout wins whatsoever, and then his golden ticket comes in all because of that record that says 20 wins, 20 KOs. The guy is not going to have any chance whatsoever against a thoroughbred like Anthony Joshua, but here he is headlining a show in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, financed by Turki Alalshikh. Do you know what I say? Good luck to him. Whatever the level, boxing’s a hard life and a hard game. 

The oddest thing about Prenga’s record is that he’s never actually boxed in his home country of Albania. He started off in Germany, then Canada, then the United States, with a few fights scattered in between, one in Holland and another in Colombia, of all places. But the only one that really matters is the one that comes next. 

To give you some idea of how his handlers have brought him through, his 21st professional fight was against Joe Jones in February. Jones had 16 wins, 14 losses, and one draw going into their match, and that says it all. I’m pretty sure at some stage he will have sparred top liners, and he’ll know something about what’s to come, but he will never have savoured the sort of atmosphere or pressure that fight week for this fight is about to bestow on him.   I hope he enjoys the ride.