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An emotional Anthony Joshua remembered his late friends as he pulled off an earth-shattering shock win over Christian Preng for his fight with Tyson Fury in what he said would be a “lovely treat” for the fans.
Joshua knocked out Albanian heavyweight Prenga in the second round in Jeddah on Saturday night, after flooring himself twice in the first with just 20 seconds left in the contest.
The British star showed tremendous character to fight back from the brink of defeat, showing plenty since the deaths of team members Sina Gami and Lateef ‘Latz’ Ayodele in a car crash in December in which he was a passenger.
Joshua sensationally knocked out Albanian Prenga within 20 seconds of their clash in Saudi Arabia.
Joshua said after overcoming Prenga DAZN: “It’s more than punch power. It was spirit, it was Lutz, it was Cena, it was families. It’s hard to even talk about it. It was hard. It’s my brother. I don’t want to talk about it.”
Joshua: I respect everything Fury has done
With Joshua Fury able to negotiate, the British boxers are now set to end more than a decade of circling each other by locking horns in November, with America seemingly the most likely destination.
Fury defeated Polish veteran Mariusz Wach in his own tune-up bout in Thailand on Friday.
AJ added of his countryman, who was excited to face his rival in Saudi Arabia: “I’m going to rip his heart out. I’m the baddest and meanest champion out there!
Joshua celebrates after his second round KO of Prenger in Jeddah on Saturday night
“All jokes aside, I respect everything he’s done and achieved but here we are now. I hope the fans get a nice treat.
“I’ve learned I can’t be stopped. I won’t be stopped and I won’t be denied. We’re here and we’re coming. Trust me.”
‘Nobody can imagine what happened to Joshua’
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed the deal had been signed for the blockbuster showdown before praising his fighters’ “amazing” return to the ring despite the “sorrow and pain” he had to deal with just before Christmas.
Hearn said on Joshua DAZN: “Nobody can imagine what he’s done in the last seven months. During the first round, I was thinking, ‘We’re back too soon’.”
Joshua was floored twice in the first round but bounced back to win and could be in for a clash with Fury
“I feel like boxing saved him once and I think he needed boxing to help him get through this. That camp allowed him to focus when he was dealing with so much grief and pain.
“He’s a strong man and he likes to deal with his problems on his own – I’m not saying it’s the right way but it’s the way he does it. Even being in the ring tonight was amazing.
“When you go down a couple of times in the first round and you look like your career might be over, he’s got to go deep one more time and fight.”
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