Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua recovered from two first-round knockdowns to knock out Albania's Kristian Prenga in the second round of a dramatic non-title bout in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Prenga, who entered the fight with a 20-1 record, floored Joshua with an uppercut within the first 30 seconds and scored another knockdown late in the round. However, Joshua unleashed a flurry of punches in the second round, finishing Prenga with a right hook that sent the Albanian through the bottom ropes.
The victory marked Joshua's return to the ring following a car crash in Nigeria in December that injured him and killed his friends, Sina Ghami and Latif 'Latz' Ayodele. Improving his record to 30-4 with 27 knockouts, the 36-year-old attributed his comeback to the spirit of his late friends and family. Joshua described the experience as a flight-or-fight moment, stating that the ability to rise after being knocked down is the motto of life.
This win, combined with Tyson Fury's victory over Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Friday, clears the path for a long-awaited all-British showdown later this year. Fury, 37, secured his warmup win when the 46-year-old Wach retired in the seventh round. While rumors suggested the bout might take place outside the United Kingdom, promoter Eddie Hearn stated that the contract is signed and the fight must remain in the U.K., with high expectations for a clash at London's Wembley Stadium.