ANTHONY JOSHUA FIGHTS HOURS AFTER EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE TO DECEASED FRIENDS

Anthony Joshua competed at the Jeddah Superdome in Saudi Arabia on a card promoted by Matchroom and DAZN. The event, billed as "The Comeback," took place hours after Joshua paid an emotional tribute to two deceased friends and team members. Joshua faced Kristian Prenga in the bout. The fight came as part of Joshua's return to the ring following a car accident in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two close associates.

Joshua's friends Sina Ghami, his strength and conditioning coach, and Latif Ayodele, his personal trainer, died in a crash on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway on 29 December. The Lexus SUV carrying the group collided with a parked truck. Joshua survived with minor injuries and received hospital treatment before being discharged. The tragedy occurred whilst Joshua was travelling in Nigeria, and the emotional impact of losing his team members prompted concerns about whether he could return to competition.

In an interview with BBC Sport before his fight, Joshua described the ongoing emotional toll of the loss. He stated: "It's tough. Every time I think about it, it hurts a lot. Even talking about it now, pictures, it hurts. But I need to keep my mind occupied, you know. Because if I stop, you let it sink in, and I'm not ready for it to sink in yet." Joshua had previously defeated Jake Paul in December before the accident. The bout against Prenga formed part of a pathway toward a potential matchup against Tyson Fury scheduled for November.