Ugo Kevwe
National News
Nigerian-British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua has dedicated his comeback victory over Albanian fighter Kristian Prenga to his late trainers and close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele.
Joshua returned to the ring for the first time since the tragic car crash in Nigeria in December that claimed the lives of Ghami, his strength and conditioning coach, and Ayodele, his personal trainer.
The former two-time world heavyweight champion wore camouflage ring attire bearing the names of the deceased coaches as a tribute before overcoming an early scare to stop Prenga in the second round.
Joshua was knocked down twice in the opening round but recovered impressively to produce a second-round knockout, keeping alive hopes of a long-awaited all-British showdown with Tyson Fury.
Speaking after the fight, Joshua said the victory was dedicated to the memory of his late friends.
“It’s what champions do. We rise, we get knocked down, and we stand up and keep going. That’s life,” he said.
“It was more than punch power. That was Spirit, that was Latz, that was Sina and their families. It still hurts to talk about it. It’s been tough.”
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, praised the 36-year-old’s resilience, saying few people could understand the emotional burden he had carried over the past seven months.
“No one can imagine what Anthony has been through in the last seven months. To even step into the ring was astonishing,” Hearn said.
He added that Joshua remained focused throughout his training camp despite grieving the loss of his long-time trainers and showed remarkable determination after suffering two knockdowns.
Hearn also disclosed that contracts have been signed for the much-anticipated heavyweight clash between Joshua and fellow British boxer Tyson Fury, although the date and venue have yet to be announced.
Fury, who defeated 46-year-old Mariusz Wach in Thailand a day earlier, did not attend Joshua’s fight as he had already returned to the Isle of Man.
Reacting to the proposed bout, Joshua expressed respect for Fury’s achievements but insisted he was ready for the challenge.
“I respect everything he has achieved, but this is the fight we’ve been calling for, and now we’re here.
“I hope the fans will enjoy it.
“I’ve learnt that I can’t be stopped, I won’t be denied, and we’re coming,” Joshua said.
