Anthony Joshua wins after two knockdowns vs Kristian Prenga

In an emotional and dramatic comeback, former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua survived two first-round knockdowns to knock out Kristian Prenga in the second round on Saturday, July 25, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The victory, his first fight in seven months, was dedicated to two close friends and training team members who were killed in a car crash in Nigeria last December.

Joshua, 36, entered the sold-out Jeddah Superdome as a heavy favorite but was sent to the canvas twice within the opening three minutes by the Albanian challenger, a noted knockout specialist. The first knockdown came from a right uppercut just 20 seconds into the bout, with a second knockdown following later in the round. Joshua recovered between rounds and stopped Prenga in the second, finishing the fight with a powerful combination that sent his opponent through the ropes.

The win was overshadowed by profound personal tragedy. In December, Joshua was involved in a motorway crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of his strength and conditioning coach, Sina Ghami, and his personal trainer, Latif "Latz" Ayodele. Joshua escaped with injuries but has been mourning his friends, whom he called his...