Anthony Joshua produced a stunning comeback on Saturday night, knocking out Albania’s Kristian Prenga in the second round of their heavyweight bout after being knocked down twice in the opening round.
The 36-year-old British-Nigerian former world champion appeared to be in serious trouble early in the fight as Prenga came out aggressively.
Within the opening 20 seconds, the Albanian landed a powerful uppercut and a swinging overhand right that sent Joshua to the canvas.
Although Joshua got back to his feet, he appeared unsteady, allowing Prenga to trap him against the ropes and unleash a series of heavy punches. The assault resulted in a second knockdown before the bell ended the round.
Joshua returned for the second round with renewed determination after regrouping in his corner. He began to control the distance with a strong jab, forcing Prenga backwards before landing a sharp one-two combination.
A straight right hand stunned Prenga, after which Joshua followed up with unanswered hooks that sent the Albanian crashing into the corner pad.
Referee Harvey Dock began the count, but Prenga was unable to beat it, handing Joshua a knockout victory.
“You have to dig deep in this sport. I was caught cold in the first, but champions find a way to answer back,” Joshua said in his post-fight interview.
The victory keeps Joshua’s heavyweight ambitions on track as he continues to target a potential mega-fight against fellow Briton Tyson Fury later this year.