Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua made a successful return to the ring, with a dominant second-round knockout of Kristian Prenga at the Jeddah Superdome in Saudi Arabia, strengthening his case for a blockbuster showdown with Tyson Fury later this year.
The former two-time heavyweight world champion overcame an early scare following his knockdown on the first round before taking control of the contest, eventually forcing the referee to stop the fight 1 minute, 52 seconds into the second round.
The victory came just 4 minutes and 52 seconds of action. It also marks a successful return to the ring for Joshua and strengthens his push for another world title shot.
The emphatic win also strengthens Joshua’s push for another world title opportunity and reaffirms his status as one of boxing’s leading heavyweights, with fans now anticipating his next move in the division.
Joshua entered the contest looking to bounce back from a lengthy spell away from the ring, with Prenga arrived unbeaten in his previous 16 fights boasting a perfect knockout record during that run.
Speaking after the fight, he praised Prenga’s toughness and punching power, saying the bout tested his resilience and reminded him of the importance of staying composed under pressure.
The British heavyweight was fighting for the first time since surviving the December car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of his close friends Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele. The two were members of the boxer’s team and long-term friends.
-9News Nigeria.
