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
