Anthony Joshua remembers friends late after defeat Kristian Prenga sets up Tyson Fury fight and ‘good treatment’ for fans | Debate News
A heartbroken Anthony Joshua remembered his late friends as he pulled off a seismic shock clash against Kristian Prenga to set up a fight with Tyson Fury which he said would be a “great thing” for the fans.
Joshua knocked out Albanian heavyweight Prenga in the second round in Jeddah on Saturday night, after being knocked down twice in the first, including just 20 seconds into the contest.
The British star showed great character to win, a trait he has had to show in abundance since team members Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele died in a car crash in December in which he was a passenger.
Speaking after defeating Prenga, Joshua said DAZN: “It’s more than a punch. That was the spirit, that was Latz, that was Sina, that was the families. It hurts to even talk about it.
“It was difficult, brothers, I don’t want to talk about it.”
Joshua: I respect everything Fury has done
Joshua was able to talk about Fury, and the British boxers are about to complete a decade of locking horns in November, which looks like America may be the one to come.
Fury beat Polish veteran Mariusz Wach in his first fight in Thailand on Friday.
AJ added of his countryman, who hit the headlines in Saudi Arabia where he will face his rival: “I’m going to rip his heart out. I’m the meanest and meanest champion ever!”
Joshua celebrates after his second round KO of Prenga in Jeddah on Saturday night
“All jokes aside, I respect everything he’s done and achieved but we’re here now. I hope the fans will be fine.
“I have learned that I will not be stopped and I will not be stopped and I will not deny that we are here and we are coming to Thembani.”
‘No one can imagine what Joshua went through’
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that contracts have been signed for the bouts before praising his hero’s “amazing” return to the ring after the “heartache and pain” he had to deal with following a pre-Christmas car crash.
Hearn said of Joshua DAZN: “To be honest with you, tonight is about the strength that AJ showed to even be here tonight – and the strength in that fight.
“Nobody can imagine what he’s been through in the last seven months. In the first round, I thought, ‘we came back early’.
Joshua was knocked down twice in the opening round but bounced back to win and remain in contention against Fury
“I feel like boxing saved him and I feel like 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 alone – I’m not saying it’s the right way but it’s his way of doing it. 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 had to go back deep to get up and fight.”
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