Anthony Joshua survives knockdowns to win Perenga with KO in Round 2
Anthony Joshua flirted with disaster, then won in thrilling fashion.
Joshua was knocked down twice in the first round and looked on the verge of defeat. But after sticking out his tongue and smiling, Joshua knocked out Kirstian Prenga with a massive right hand. The fight ended at 2:34 of the second round
Here’s a polished rewrite:
The emphatic victory removes the final obstacle to the long-anticipated heavyweight showdown between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, with the blockbuster bout now expected to be finalised for later this year.
The fight marked Joshua’s first appearance since surviving a car crash in Nigeria on December 29 that reportedly claimed the lives of two of his close friends. Earlier on Friday, Tyson Fury also emerged victorious in his tune-up contest after 46-year-old Mariusz Wach retired on his stool at the end of the seventh round.
With the win, the 36-year-old British heavyweight improved his professional record to 30-4, while 35-year-old Albanian Kristian Prenga dropped to 20-2.
www.societygazetteng.com will continue to provide updates, highlights, reactions and in-depth analysis of the Anthony Joshua vs. Kristian Prenga fight and the road to the proposed Joshua-Fury showdown.
Just In: Anthony Joshua Record First Win in 3 Fights…Knockout Opponent in the Seventh Round
Anthony Joshua took out Robert Helenius inside seven rounds at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday.
Helenius surprised when he took Joshua into the second half of their contest but then with a single shot, a huge right cross to the jaw, Joshua extinguished his efforts, dropping him heavily at 1-27 of the seventh round.
Joshua was due to renew hostilities with old rival Dillan Whyte on this show. But that bout had to be cancelled after Whyte returned adverse analytic findings in the pre-fight anti-doping protocols.
It left Joshua looking for a replacement opponent at just a week’s notice and Helenius, moments after he had taken a three-round victory over Mika Mielonen last weekend in Finland made himself available for this fight.
After being knocked out in the first round by Deontay Wilder, Helenius was seizing an opportunity to return to action at the top tier of the heavyweight division. He began with spirit too, rushing out in the first round to cuff punches at Joshua’s guard.
Joshua, a former unified champion, is determined to reclaim a title and for him Helenius was just another step on the road back.
He was patient, he softened Helenius up with the occasional combination and then delivered a brutal ending.
By the second round Joshua was taking control. He lunged in with a left hook to catch Helenius. His jab thumped into the body but he wouldn’t rush himself.
Joshua might gradually have been taking the measure of this short-notice opponent, having a close look at him. But that wasn’t what the crowd wanted to see. They wanted more action.
As early as the third round boos began to ring out from some quarters of the arena, a demand for urgency.
Joshua answered that call though and launched a right cross flush into Helenius’ jaw. It connected and a cursory glance at Helenius showed it was a hurtful punch.
But the Finn collected himself. He withstood a charge in the next round and boxed through it. In the fifth, with Helenius backed into the ropes, Joshua smacked in a right that struck so hard the thud was audible.
The pace leaked out of the contest in the sixth round and if Joshua was affronted to see Helenius still in with him in the latter half of the contest, he finished matters with a sudden burst of speed.
His jab flicked out, distracting Helenius and the right carved a path through to hit the Finn cleanly to the jaw.
The blasting shot dropped him heavily, ending the contest at once.
The result, and the manner of the finish, clearly delighted Joshua. He even left the ring to celebrate before returning to have his hand formally raised by the referee.
He took his time but eventually Joshua got exactly the ending he wanted.
