JEDDAH — Former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua produced a sensational round two knockout recovery against Albania’s Kristian Prenga at the Jeddah Superdome in Saudi Arabia, overcoming two shocking first-round knockdowns to secure victory in his first ring appearance since surviving a fatal car crash in Nigeria.

The 36-year-old British heavyweight dedicated the emotional victory to his late close friends and camp members, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, who tragically lost their lives in the December highway accident near Lagos.

The win clears the final hurdle for a long-awaited all-British mega-fight against Tyson Fury, who earned a victory over Mariusz Wach in Thailand 24 hours prior.

First-Round Crisis in Jeddah

Entering the ring wearing trunks embroidered with the names of his fallen friends, Joshua initially found himself on the precipice of a massive upset:

• Early Knockdowns: Just 20 seconds into the contest, underdog Prenga rocked Joshua with a crushing right uppercut that sent the Briton to the canvas. Joshua beat the count, only to be dropped a second time later in the opening round by a furious flurry.
• Second-Round Resurrection: Refusing to capitulate, Joshua emerged for the second round with renewed composure, unleashing a signature right-hand counter that crumpled Prenga against the ropes, prompting the referee to halt the bout.

Emotional Post-Fight Dedication

During his post-fight interview, an emotional Joshua fought back tears as he paid tribute to the memory of his team members:

“It’s more than punch power. That was spirit, that was Latz, that was Sina, that was the families. It hurts to even talk about it. It has been tough. It’s my brothers… I don’t want to talk about it,” Joshua stated.

  MATCH DETAILS:       Anthony Joshua def. Kristian Prenga (TKO, Round 2)
  VENUE:               Jeddah Superdome, Saudi Arabia
  COMBAT LOG:          Joshua knocked down twice in R1; stops Prenga in R2
  NEXT UP:             All-British Showdown vs. Tyson Fury (Contracts Signed)

Fury Super-Fight Signed and Confirmed

With both fighters overcoming their respective tune-up bouts, promoters have confirmed that contracts for the Joshua vs. Fury showdown are officially signed. While official dates and venue announcements remain pending, the long-awaited clash is projected to take place in late 2026.