Anthony Joshua fought back tears after beating Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia, dedicating the emotional victory to two close friends who died in a car crash in Nigeria last December.
The former world heavyweight champion returned to the ring for the first time since the tragedy happened, overcoming an early scare before producing a second-round knockout at the Jeddah Superdome.
The victory also keeps Joshua on course for a proposed blockbuster fight against fellow Briton Tyson Fury later this year.
Joshua pays emotional tribute after victory
Joshua was knocked down twice in the opening round but recovered impressively to stop the Albanian with a powerful right hand in the second.
After the fight, the 36-year-old paid tribute to Latif “Latz” Ayodele and recovery therapist Sina Ghami, who lost their lives in the accident.
Reflecting on the win, Joshua became emotional before dedicating the performance to his late friends.
“That was more than power, that was Sina and Latz and family. I can’t even talk about it.”
After pausing to compose himself, he added: “They were my brothers, I don’t want to talk about it.”
Joshua also vowed to keep pushing forward in his career: “I learned I cannot be stopped or denied. I am coming, trust me.”
Fury showdown edges closer
Joshua’s comeback victory came less than 24 hours after Tyson Fury defeated Mariusz Wach in Thailand, leaving both heavyweights on course for their long-awaited all-British showdown.
The former unified world champion had to overcome a difficult start after being floored twice in the opening round by Prenga.
However, Joshua responded strongly in the second, backing his opponent into the corner before ending the contest with a decisive right hand.
The victory is expected to pave the way for a lucrative clash with Fury, with reports suggesting New York’s Madison Square Garden has emerged as the leading venue for the heavyweight contest.
If finalised, the fight would bring together two of Britain’s biggest boxing stars in one of the sport’s most anticipated matchups.
