Anthony Joshua knocks out Kristian Prenga to set up long-awaited Tyson Fury heavyweight showdown

Anthony Joshua versus Tyson Fury will happen this year after the former won his comeback fight on Saturday.

Joshua knocked out Albanian Kristian Prenga in the second round of their heavyweight bout in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – despite being knocked down twice himself in the first round.

After dropping to the canvas twice in the first round, it looked like the Brit was on course for a shocking defeat until he overcame that major wobble to send Prenga to the floor, making the referee wave off the contest.

Such a dramatic turnaround caused a stir among everyone who watched it, but whets the appetite ahead of the 36-year-old facing his long-term British rival Fury, 37, later this year.

It was Joshua’s first time in the ring since he devastatingly beat Jake Paul last December.

However, shortly after that win, Joshua’s personal life was turned upside down when he was involved in a fatal car crash in December that killed two of his close friends in Sina Ghama and Latif Ayodele have died.

Ghami acted as a strength and conditioning coach for the former two-time heavyweight world champion, while Ayodele was a trainer.

Anthony Joshua’s heartfelt tribute

Dedicating his win to them, the emotional ex-heavyweight world champion said: ‘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.’

He choked up and stepped away from the microphone, before adding: ‘It’s my brothers. I don’t want to talk about it.’

Joshua’s win came a day after Fury beat Mariusz Wach and speaking about their future fight, he added about that forthcoming prospect: ‘I respect everything he has done and everything that he has achieved, but as a fighting person, we’re here now. I hope the fans will be in for a lovely treat.’