Anthony Joshua made a triumphant return to the ring on Saturday, defeating Kristian Prenga in a dominant performance at the Jeddah Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Joshua, 36, knocked out his Albanian opponent in the second round, with the win setting up a potential showdown with Tyson Fury.
The former unified heavyweight world champion had been out of action since December, when he knocked out Jake Paul in a high-profile collision on Netflix. Saturday's comeback bout comes just seven months after the fatal car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two of Joshua's closest friends and nearly took the former champion's own life.
Prenga, 35, was seeking to become the first Albanian to win a world title, but ultimately fell short against one of the biggest names in the sport. The Albanian heavyweight has finished all 20 of his professional victories by stoppage, and enters the weekend riding a 14-fight win streak since suffering his lone career defeat at the hands of Giovanni Auriemma in 2017.
Joshua's victory was expected by many, but it still marked a significant moment in the former champion's career. With the win, Joshua is now likely to face Tyson Fury, who defeated Mariusz Wach on Friday. Fury's win sets up a potential blockbuster bout between the two heavyweights.
The fight card at the Jeddah Superdome also featured a number of other exciting bouts, including a WBO super middleweight title fight between Hamzah Sheeraz and Simon Zachenhuber. However, Joshua's victory was the main event of the evening, and it will likely have significant implications for the heavyweight division in the coming months.
The Jeddah Superdome was packed with fans eager to see Joshua return to the ring, and the atmosphere was electric as the former champion made his way to the ring. Joshua's victory was met with cheers from the crowd, and it marked a triumphant return for the former world champion.
Joshua's next move will be closely watched by fans and pundits alike, and it remains to be seen whether he will face Fury in a potential blockbuster bout. However, one thing is certain: Joshua's victory on Saturday marked a significant moment in the heavyweight division, and it will have significant implications for the coming months.
Source: Yahoo Sports