Anthony Joshua made a dramatic return to the ring on Saturday night, overcoming an early scare to stop Kristian Prenga by knockout before dedicating the emotional victory to his late friends, Sina and Latz.
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The former two-time heavyweight world champion was floored twice inside the opening round after Prenga landed a stunning combination that briefly threatened to end the contest.
However, Joshua showed remarkable resilience, recovered from the knockdowns, and turned the fight around in emphatic fashion.
In the second round, the British-Nigerian heavyweight unleashed a devastating barrage of punches before connecting with a crushing right hook that sent Prenga crashing down for the knockout victory.
An emotional Joshua struggled to contain his feelings during his post-fight interview, pausing to say, “That was Latz, that was Sina,” as he dedicated the win to his departed friends.
Addressing the crowd, Joshua thanked God, his supporters, promoter Eddie Hearn, and Prenga’s team for the opportunity.
“First of all, I want to say thank you to everyone who came out this evening. I appreciate it a lot. I want to give a massive thank you to Prenga and his team for putting up a good fight. It means a lot to them and it means a lot to me,” Joshua said.
“I want to give thanks to God. It was more than me in that situation. It can’t just be me in those type of situations. There is a higher power that is calling.”
Joshua also turned his attention to long-time rival Tyson Fury, fueling speculation that the long-awaited all-British heavyweight clash is finally set to happen.
“Hold on, wait a minute. Have we got Tyson Fury in the room?” Joshua joked before adding, “I respect everything he has done and everything that he has achieved, but as a fighting person, we’re here now. I hope the fans will be in for a lovely treat.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn further intensified expectations by revealing that the fight between Joshua and Fury has already been signed, with an official announcement expected soon.
The victory marks another significant step in Joshua’s comeback and sets the stage for one of the biggest heavyweight contests in boxing history, as fans eagerly await confirmation of a blockbuster showdown with Fury.
