Nigerian-British heavyweight boxer, Anthony Joshua, has dedicated his victory over Kristian Prenga to his late friends and trainers, Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele, after overcoming two knockdowns to secure a second-round knockout win.
The bout, watched online, marked Joshua’s first fight since a car crash in Ogun State, Nigeria, in December claimed the lives of Ghami, his strength and conditioning coach, and Ayodele, his personal trainer.
Joshua entered the ring wearing camouflage attire bearing the names of the deceased coaches in their honour.
Speaking after the fight, the former world heavyweight champion described the victory as a tribute to their memory.
“It’s what champions do. We rise, we get knocked down and we stand up and keep going. That’s life.
“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,” he said.
Joshua, who started the contest as the overwhelming favourite, suffered a dramatic opening round after Prenga knocked him down twice within the first three minutes.
However, the British boxer recovered to dominate the contest, eventually stopping the Albanian in the second round to remain on course for a highly anticipated showdown with fellow Briton Tyson Fury.
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, praised the former champion’s resilience, describing his performance as remarkable given the personal tragedy he had endured.
“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 had used his training camp to remain focused while coping with grief, noting that the fighter had shown exceptional determination after being knocked down twice.
Hearn also confirmed that contracts had been been signed for the long-awaited heavyweight clash between Joshua and Fury, although the date and venue have yet to be announced.
Fury, who defeated 46-year-old Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Friday, did not attend Joshua’s fight as he returned to the Isle of Man after his bout.
Joshua welcomed the prospect of facing Fury, saying he respected his fellow Briton’s achievements but was ready for the contest.
“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 learned that I can’t be stopped, I won’t be denied, and we’re coming,” Joshua added. (NAN)