Nigerian-British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua dedicated his comeback victory over Kristian Prenga to his late coaches and close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, following an emotional second-round knockout triumph.
The contest, streamed online, was Joshua’s first appearance since a fatal car accident in Nigeria last December claimed the lives of Ghami, his strength and conditioning coach, and Ayodele, his personal trainer.
In tribute, Joshua entered the ring wearing camouflage gear bearing the names of both men. Speaking after the fight, the former world heavyweight champion said the victory was for them and their families.
He reflected on the challenges he had faced, saying champions overcome setbacks by rising after every fall. Joshua added that his performance was driven not only by physical strength but also by the spirit and memory of his late coaches, admitting that their loss remained painful.
Although Joshua was heavily favoured to win, he endured a difficult opening round after Prenga knocked him down twice in quick succession. The British fighter recovered impressively, taking control of the bout before stopping the Albanian in the second round.
The victory keeps Joshua on track for a long-awaited all-British heavyweight showdown with Tyson Fury.
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, praised the former champion for returning to the ring despite the personal tragedy he had experienced over the past seven months. Hearn described Joshua’s resilience as extraordinary, noting that he had remained focused throughout training while coping with grief and still found the determination to recover after being knocked down twice.
Hearn also disclosed that contracts for the highly anticipated Joshua-Fury fight had already been signed, although organisers have yet to announce the date and venue.
Fury, who defeated 46-year-old Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Friday, was absent from Joshua’s bout, having travelled back to the Isle of Man after his own fight.
Joshua welcomed the prospect of facing his fellow Briton, saying he respected Fury’s achievements but believed the long-awaited contest had finally become a reality.
He expressed confidence in his ability to overcome any obstacle, saying he could not be denied and looked forward to giving boxing fans the fight they had been waiting for.