Anthony Joshua reflects on early knockdowns in Prenga fight

Anthony Joshua says he had a moment of clarity after hitting the canvas twice in the opening round of his weekend fight with Kristian Prenga.

Joshua, who recovered to stop Prenga in round two, told reporters he recognized his opponent was not planning to box the distance. "One thing I've learned in there, I said 'okay, these are starting fast, they're not coming to box 12 rounds and see if they can outbox me, they're coming to try to take my head off,'" he said, per Bad Left Hook. "And you know what, in the second round I said to myself 'I can do the same.'"

Joshua's tactical shift after twin knockdowns

The former unified heavyweight champion said his initial game plan was to ease into the fight behind the jab, but Prenga's early aggression forced a rethink. "These guys main game plan is to just come, see what punches they can land and hope for the best," Joshua said. He added that he still had his wits about him despite the rough start and that the experience taught him to match the opponent's urgency from the opening bell.

Joshua acknowledged the knockdowns were not ideal but said fighters cannot enter the ring expecting a smooth night. "These guys are coming to knock me out in round one, they're not waiting four, five, six rounds and I learned that in there," he said. "I can do that, and I'm on it now."

The former two-time champion has not announced his next opponent or fight date.

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• Bad Left Hook — ‘I learned a lot in that moment’: Anthony Joshua reacts to early knockdowns