Anthony Joshua win first fight afta accident wey kill im friends for Nigeria

Anthony Joshua suffer two knockdowns - di first happun afta just 20 seconds wen di fight start - bifor e recoveri to dramatically stop Kristian Prenga for di second round of im comeback fight for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Di British heavyweight dey fight for di first time since e survive di December car crash for Nigeria wey claim di lives of im close friends Sina Ghami and Latif 'Latz' Ayodele.

Underdog Prenuga bin first give am one hot very big uppercut for di opening round, and e hit di canvas again later for di round.

At dat point, e be like film trick and wetin be like one of di biggest shock defeats for di heavyweight history, as di long-awaited Tyson Fury fight dey hang by a thread.

But Joshua produce one of di greatest escapes of im career, and now di fight dey on.

E bounce back, unleash im right hand for di second round, as di final shot send Albanian Prenga crashing down and force di referee to pause di contest.

"E dey more dan di punch power. Dat na di spirit, dat na Latz, dat na Sina, dat na di families. E hurt to even tok about am. E dey tough," 36-year-old Joshua, tok.

E choke small and e step away from di microphone, bifor e add: "Dem be my brothers. I no wan tok about am."

Speculation bin dey say fellow boxer, Briton Fury fit make appearance even though e don tok say im no go attend.

But di master of mind games bin stay true to im word, as Fury no show face barely 24 hours away from im own warm-up win ova Mariusz Wach for Thailand.

"I respect evritin wey e don do and evritin wey e don achieve, but as pesin wey dey fight, we dey hia now. I hope say fans go dey in for a lovely treat," Joshua tok about di prospect of fighting Fury.

Dem don sign di ontracts, but du venue and date for di fight neva dey clear.

Dis chaotic night, however, belong to Joshua for victory e forge through pain during di most difficult months of im life.

Down but not out for AJ on emotional return

Given di circumstances, dis return back to di ring no suppose ever dey smooth for Joshua. Few, however, nobody for fit predict di drama wey unfold inside six minutes.

Joshua bin carry di names of Ghami and Ayodele for im chest and e waka go di ring alongside im entire team for a quiet show of unity.

Di canvas too carry dia names, alongside di words 'My Brother's Keeper'.

Im comeback no fit worse pass dis one. Just 20 seconds as fight start, one solid right uppercut from Prenga knock Joshua and e fall flat for canvas, wey shock evribody for di arena.

Joshua just smile as e stand up again. Prenga, wey enta fight wit 20 knockouts from 20 wins, even though plenty boxing fans no too know am, quickly see say chance don show.

Promoter Eddie Hearn dey shout instructions from ringside say make Joshua arrange imself well. Meanwhile, Joshua padi for camp and former heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk dey watch di fight wit serious concern wey show for im face.

One left uppercut later for di round push Joshua for di canvas again. E still dey unsteady as di second round of di fight start, but Prenga surprisingly, begin dey box off di back foot and e let di Watford fighter off di hook.

Joshua capitalise on dat and use im years of experience - and perhaps di emotion - e draw Prenga to di jab bifor e crush am wit im right hand. More rights followed as Prenga collapse for di canvas and di referee wey don see enough blow im whistle.

Dis ma 35-year-old Prenga second loss for im career.

Dis na Joshua first test against a recognised professional opponent since Daniel Dubois stop am for September 2024.

Im only fight since e come against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul for December, 10 days bifor di fatal crash wey give am injury.

Joshua pass di Prenga test, but no be for di manner anyone expect. E no be like di destructive, free-flowing champion wey once sweep opponents aside.

'Tonight no be about Tyson Fury'

Afta e defeat 46-year-old Wach in Pattaya, di question of weda Fury go show up to watch Joshua bin bicom topic of discussion for di fight.

One pesin wey look like Fury bin briefly fool reporters wen e comot from one taxi, while Fury manager Spencer Brown insist say di 'Gypsy King' go dey "there in spirit".

Di fight between two of di most recognisable names for British boxing pipo understand say dem don put am for November.

None of dem dey for di peak of dia powers, but while di commercial appeal still dey strong, Joshua struggles go likely leave Fury a clear favourite.

Di fight dey expected to stream on Netflix. British fans dey hope for a homecoming event, but dem understand say Saudi organisers and broadcasters dey favour one venue for America to cater for American audiences.

"We' don sign di contract. Evritin don set," Hearn tok.

"But tonight no be about Tyson Fury. Na about di strength Anthony Joshua don show to dey here.

"Nobody know wetin e don go through ova di last seven months. Wen e go down for di first round, I bin think say e come back too soon."