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Anthony Joshua has made a dramatic return to the ring, overcoming two early knockdowns before stopping Kristian Prenga in the second round to set up a long-awaited all-British heavyweight showdown with Tyson Fury.
The two-time heavyweight world champion produced a resilient performance at the Jeddah Superdome on Sunday, marking his first fight since a car crash in Nigeria last December claimed the lives of two close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.
Joshua became emotional during his post-fight interview when asked about the difficult months that followed the accident. The 36-year-old said his comeback victory was powered by something deeper than his physical ability.
“That was spirit, that was Latz, that was Sina. That was family,” Joshua said, referring to his late friends.
The victory came after a turbulent period for Joshua, whose previous competitive appearance ended in a fifth-round knockout defeat to IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September 2024.
Against Prenga, Joshua was forced to dig deep after the Albanian knockout specialist stunned him early. Prenga, who had recorded 20 stoppage victories in his previous 21 wins, dropped Joshua with a right uppercut just 20 seconds into the opening round.
The aggressive challenger continued to press forward, catching Joshua again late in the first round and leaving the former champion struggling to regain his balance.
However, Joshua responded strongly in the second round, using his jab to push Prenga back before absorbing further attacks and launching his own offensive. A powerful combination, finished with a heavy right hand, sent Prenga through the ropes at 2:43 of the round, forcing the stoppage.
The victory improved Joshua’s professional record to 30 wins and four defeats, with 27 of his victories coming by knockout.
His next challenge appears likely to be Tyson Fury, with the pair expected to meet in November in what has been described as a “Battle of Britain”. A venue for the highly anticipated bout has not yet been announced.
Fury also secured a victory on Friday, defeating Mariusz Wach in Pattaya, Thailand. The former two-time heavyweight champion dominated the contest before Wach’s corner stopped the fight in the seventh round, giving Fury his second win of the year following a 16-month absence from boxing.
Although Fury was not ringside in Jeddah, Joshua sent a clear message to his long-time rival.
“I’m gonna rip his heart out! I’m the meanest, most vicious champion that has ever been. Nobody can stop me,” Joshua said.
He later added that the fight represented a new chapter built on both competition and 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,” he said.
Promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that arrangements for the Fury fight have already been completed.
“Everything’s done,” Hearn said. “But to be honest with you, tonight is all about the strength that (Joshua) showed to even be here tonight, and the strength that he had to show in that fight.”
Hearn admitted he had doubts during the opening round, questioning whether Joshua had returned too soon after the loss of his friends. But Joshua insisted his comeback story was far from over.
“I can’t be stopped,” he said. “I’m not going to be stopped. I’m not going to be denied.”
