JEDDAH: Former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua recovered from two knockdowns to knock out Kristian Prenga in the second round of a dramatic non-title heavyweight fight on Saturday.
Fighting for the first time since two of his best friends died in a car crash in Nigeria in December in which he was injured, the 36-year-old Joshua was floored by a thunderous right uppercut within the opening 30 seconds. He beat the count but looked seriously shaken.
Then Prenga laid out Joshua again, and again Joshua rose before the end of the count and survived to the bell.
A quick end was expected but nobody thought it would be Prenga’s. Joshua unleashed a flurry of fists and finished Prenga with a right hook, sending the Albanian through the bottom of the ropes, and the Albanian could not recover as the fight was ended by the referee.
Anthony Joshua celebrates after winning his fight against Kristian Prenga by technical knockout. (Reuters/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
“He (Prenga) is a serious fighter, strong, durable and he came and gave me a good test, but this is what champions do — we rise, man. We get knocked down, we stand up and we keep going. That’s life,” Joshua told reporters.
The turnaround shocked even heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk, whose face ringside was caught by TV cameras.
The comeback also saved possibly the biggest fight in British boxing history. Joshua and Tyson Fury have reportedly signed a contract to meet for the first time later this year, but it was on condition they came through warmup bouts this weekend.
“I hope the fans will be in for a lovely treat,” Joshua told the crowd.
Fury beat Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Friday in a fight that was not broadcast live on television, with the 46-year-old Pole retiring on his stool before the eighth round, and Joshua’s victory cleared the way for a bout between the two Britons that has been agreed for later this year.
“We’ve signed the contract, 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,” Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said.
“When you go down a couple of times in the first round and you’re looking like your career might be over, he had to go to the depths one more time to get up and fight on.”
