Anthony Joshua made a triumphant return to the ring on Saturday night, knocking out Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga in the second round of their bout in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to set up a long-awaited clash with Tyson Fury later this year.
The 36-year-old British boxer overcame an early scare after Prenga floored him with an uppercut within the opening 20 seconds and sent him down again before the end of the first round.
Joshua responded in style, catching Prenga with a sharp jab before unleashing a series of powerful hooks against the ropes, forcing a second-round knockout victory.
The fight marked Joshua’s first appearance since surviving a car accident in Nigeria last December that claimed the lives of two close friends and members of his team, 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.
Speaking about his anticipated showdown with fellow Briton Tyson Fury, Joshua first paid tribute to Mike Tyson with a playful quote before striking a respectful tone.
“I am going to rip his heart out. I am the meanest and most vicious champion there has ever been! All jokes aside, I respect everything Fury has done and achieved, but as someone who has been calling for this fight for some time, it is here now. I hope the fans will be in for a lovely treat.”
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, praised the former heavyweight champion’s resilience, revealing the emotional challenges he endured in the aftermath of the fatal accident.
“No one can imagine what he’s been through in these last seven months,” Hearn said. “Boxing once saved him, and he needed boxing again to help him through this difficult period. He carried a great deal of grief into training camp but remained focused.”
Hearn also confirmed that contracts have been signed for the long-awaited heavyweight blockbuster between Joshua and Fury, although the date and venue are yet to be announced. The bout is widely expected to take place at Wembley Stadium in November.
(Sky Sports)
