Anthony Joshua produced a dramatic comeback to defeat Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga, recovering from two first-round knockdowns to secure a stunning stoppage victory in the second round of their bout in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The British heavyweight was making his first appearance since surviving the December car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two of his close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele.
Joshua endured a nightmare start, hitting the canvas just 20 seconds into the contest after being caught by a powerful uppercut from the underdog. He was floored again later in the opening round, leaving the former world champion on the brink of one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight boxing.
With speculation mounting that a defeat could derail a long-anticipated showdown with Tyson Fury, Joshua responded in emphatic fashion.
The 36-year-old regrouped in the second round and unleashed a series of heavy punches, with a devastating right hand sending Prenga crashing to the canvas. The referee immediately stopped the contest, handing Joshua a dramatic comeback victory.
An emotional Joshua dedicated the win to his late friends.
“It’s more than punch power. That was spirit, that was Latz, that was Sina, that was the families. It hurts to even talk about it. It has been tough,” he said.
Overcome with emotion, Joshua briefly stepped away from the microphone before adding, “It’s my brothers. I don’t want to talk about it.”
Attention now turns to a potential blockbuster clash with fellow British heavyweight Tyson Fury. Although there had been speculation Fury would attend the fight following his own victory over Mariusz Wach in Thailand, the former world champion was absent from the event.
Asked about the possibility of finally facing Fury, Joshua expressed admiration for his long-time rival while welcoming the prospect of the bout.
“I respect everything he has done and everything that he has achieved, but as a fighting person, we’re here now. I hope the fans will be in for a lovely treat,” Joshua said.
