Joshua survives early scare to stop Prenga
Anthony Joshua climbed off the canvas twice in the opening round to knock out Kristian Prenga in the second round in Jeddah on Saturday night. The British heavyweight was floored just 20 seconds into the contest and again later in the frame before rallying to deliver a dramatic finish that kept a November showdown with Tyson Fury on track.
Emotional return after tragic loss
The victory marked Joshua’s first appearance since a December car crash claimed the lives of team members Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele while Joshua was a passenger. Speaking to DAZN afterward, Joshua fought back tears as he dedicated the performance to his late friends, saying the win was driven by spirit rather than punch power alone.
Promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed contracts have been signed for the long-awaited all-British blockbuster against Fury, who stopped Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Friday. Joshua declared he would “rip his heart out” and called himself the “meanest and most vicious champion there has ever been,” while also predicting a “lovely treat” for fans.
Hearn described Joshua’s return to the ring as “astonishing” given the grief he has carried over the past seven months. The promoter admitted he feared the comeback had come too soon when Joshua hit the deck early, but praised his fighter’s ability to reach new depths and refuse defeat in the most testing circumstances.