Nigerian-British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua dedicated his comeback victory over Kristian Prenga to his late friends and trainers, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, after recovering from two knockdowns to secure a second-round knockout.

The fight marked Joshua’s first appearance since a car crash in Ogun State 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 two men in tribute to their memory.

Speaking after the bout, the former world heavyweight champion said the victory was dedicated to his late coaches.

“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.

Despite entering the contest as the overwhelming favourite, Joshua was knocked down twice in the opening round by Prenga. However, he rallied to dominate the fight and stopped the Albanian in the second round.

Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, praised the former champion’s resilience, saying his performance was 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.

Hearn also confirmed that contracts had been signed for the long-awaited heavyweight showdown between Joshua and Tyson Fury, although the date and venue have yet to be announced.

Reacting to the prospect of facing Fury, Joshua expressed respect for his fellow Briton’s achievements but said he 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 said.