Former two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua produced a sensational comeback, overcoming two first-round knockdowns to stop Kristian Prenga in the second round of their dramatic heavyweight clash in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Joshua endured one of the most difficult starts of his career as Prenga stunned the crowd by flooring the British-Nigerian boxer with a powerful uppercut within the opening 20 seconds. Prenga struck again before the end of the first round, leaving Joshua on the canvas for a second time and threatening to derail the highly anticipated showdown with fellow British heavyweight Tyson Fury.
However, Joshua showed the resilience that has defined his career. Regaining his composure, he came out aggressively in the second round, catching Prenga with a sharp jab before unleashing a series of devastating hooks along the ropes. The relentless assault left Prenga unable to defend himself, prompting the referee to wave off the contest and award Joshua a dramatic knockout victory.
The bout marked Joshua’s first appearance since the tragic car accident in Nigeria last December that claimed the lives of two of his close friends and longtime team members, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.
An emotional Joshua dedicated the victory to his late friends.
“That was more than punch power. It was spirit. That was Latz, that was Sina… It’s been tough. It hurts me talking about it, man,” he said after the fight.
Turning his attention to his next challenge, Joshua expressed his excitement about finally facing Tyson Fury, while paying tribute to the former heavyweight champion.
“I respect everything Fury has achieved, but I’ve been calling for this fight for a long time. Now it’s here, and I hope the fans are in for a lovely treat.”
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, revealed that contracts for the long-awaited Joshua-Fury blockbuster have already been signed, with an official date and venue yet to be announced. The contest is widely expected to take place at Wembley Stadium in November.
Hearn praised Joshua’s courage, saying the boxer had endured months of grief while preparing for his return.
“No one can imagine what he’s been through over the last seven months. Boxing helped him through one of the toughest periods of his life, and tonight he showed incredible heart.”
The victory not only marks a successful comeback for Joshua but also clears the final hurdle before one of the biggest heavyweight fights in British boxing history against Tyson Fury.
