Anthony Joshua produced a dramatic comeback on Sunday, surviving two first-round knockdowns before stopping Albania’s Kristian Prenga in the second round to move one step closer to a long-awaited blockbuster fight against Tyson Fury.
The thrilling contest at the Jeddah Superdome marked Joshua’s first fight since the tragic car crash in Nigeria last December that claimed the lives of two of his close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.
The emotional return almost ended in disaster after Prenga stunned the British-Nigerian boxer with a powerful right uppercut just 20 seconds into the fight, sending Joshua to the canvas.
Prenga continued to pile on the pressure and dropped Joshua for a second time later in the opening round, leaving fans wondering if another upset was on the cards.
However, the former two-time heavyweight world champion responded in style.
Joshua regained his composure in the second round, using his jab to back Prenga into the corner before unleashing a series of heavy punches.
A devastating combination, capped by a crushing right hand, sent Prenga crashing through the ropes, forcing the referee to stop the contest at 2 minutes, 43 seconds of the second round.
After the victory, an emotional Joshua dedicated the win to his late friends.
“That was spirit, that was Latz, that was Sina. That was family,” he said while fighting back tears.
The victory improved Joshua’s professional record to 30 wins and four defeats, with 27 of those victories coming by knockout.
Joshua’s last competitive outing before Sunday was his fifth-round knockout defeat to IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September 2024.
Attention has now shifted to a highly anticipated showdown with fellow British heavyweight Tyson Fury, who also secured a victory on Friday after defeating Mariusz Wach in Thailand.
Speaking after his win, Joshua made it clear he is ready for the long-awaited clash.
“All jokes aside, there’s two sides of this thing. One is fire. You have to have that vim. But also, there’s respect. I respect everything he has done and everything that he has achieved. But as a fighting person and someone who has been calling for this fight for a long time, we’re here now,” Joshua said.
His promoter, Eddie Hearn, revealed that the contract for the Fury fight has already been signed.
“Everything’s done. But to be honest with you, tonight is all about the strength that he showed to even be here tonight, and the strength that he had to show in that fight,” Hearn said.
Despite the difficult months he has endured, Joshua remains confident about what lies ahead.
“I can’t be stopped. I’m not going to be stopped. I’m not going to be denied,” he declared.
If confirmed, the much-anticipated “Battle of Britain” between Joshua and Fury is expected to take place in November, with the venue yet to be announced.
Source: AFP.
