The dispute began after Jordan questioned why Prenga abandoned the aggressive approach that dropped Joshua twice in the opening round. Barry Hearn mocked that view, suggesting Jordan was implying the bout had been fixed and joking that his longtime rival always finds a way to say something foolish.
Jordan responded in kind.
“Obviously Barry is getting a bit decrepit so I allow him to have a senior moment and make his observations that way. But I also think that they are right,” said Jordan to talkSPORT Boxing. “When I first watched the bout. I saw Prenga come out and do the polar opposite of what he had done in the first round. My initial thought was, ‘I don’t like how this appears.’ But the more I rewatch it, and the more I listen to the corner work. It kind of takes me down the path that maybe I jumped to conclusions about something being amiss.”
Jordan ultimately settled on a boxing explanation rather than a conspiracy theory. Spencer Oliver argued that Prenga’s team made a critical tactical error by instructing their fighter to take their time instead of pressing a still-recovering Joshua. Richard Riakporhe agreed, saying Prenga followed poor instructions in the biggest opportunity of his career.
That shifts the focus back to Joshua’s performance. Jordan maintained that Joshua remains vulnerable while praising his finishing ability. He also reiterated that Joshua should avoid the division’s younger elite, identifying Moses Itauma and Daniel Dubois as dangerous opponents while viewing Tyson Fury as the logical next fight.
The second round completely changed the fight. When a heavyweight has an opponent hurt, especially one with Joshua’s history of struggling after being shaken, the standard approach is to press the attack immediately.
Prenga’s cautious start gave Joshua the one thing a recovering heavyweight desperately needs: time. Those extra seconds allowed him to regain his composure and steady his legs. Had Prenga attacked with the same urgency he displayed in the opening round, Joshua would have faced a far more dangerous situation. Instead, his corner’s strategy handed Joshua an opportunity, and he took full advantage with a decisive finish.
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