Two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua survived two early knockdowns on the way to a second-round knockout of Kristian Prenga on Sunday, his triumphant ring return paving the way for a blockbuster all-British bout with Tyson Fury.

The fight at the Jeddah Superdome was Joshua’s first since he was involved in a car crash in Nigeria in December that killed two of his close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.

The 36-year-old choked up when asked in the ring about his friends and the emotions of the past seven months, but said his second-round revival was down to more than pure punching power.

“That was spirit, that was Latz, that was Sina. That was family,” he said.

The devastating accident occurred little more than a week after Joshua demolished YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in a controversial Netflix-backed bout in December.

Joshua’s last prior competitive appearance in the ring was his fifth-round knockout loss to IBF world champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September 2024.

He improved to 30-4, with 27 wins by knockout, but not without drama.

Albania’s Prenga, a knockout artist who had 20 wins inside the distance in 21 prior fights, sent Joshua to the canvas with a right uppercut just 20 seconds into the bout.

He had Joshua on the ropes again, his legs shaky, before sending him down a second time late in the first round.

But Joshua steadied in the second, backing Prenga into the corner behind his jab, shrugging off more heavy blows from the Albanian before inflicting damage of his own with his left hand.

A brutal combination capped by a big right finally sent Prenga crashing through the ropes to end it at 2:43 of the second round.

Joshua and Fury now appear set for their “Battle of Britain” in November, at a venue still to be announced.

Fury, like Joshua a former two-time heavyweight world champion, did his part to make the long-anticipated fight happen, stopping Mariusz Wach in a low-key bout in Pattaya, Thailand, on Friday.

Fury, 37, outclassed Wach in front in the Thai resort city, chipping away relentlessly at the 46-year-old until he was pulled out by his corner in the seventh round.

It was Fury’s second win in as many contests this year in his return from a 16-month layoff.

– ‘We’re here now’ –

Fury wasn’t ringside in Jeddah as many had anticipated, but Joshua had a message for him even so.

“I’m gonna rip his heart out! I’m the meanest, most vicious champion that has ever been. Nobody can stop me,” he said.

“All jokes aside, there’s two sides of this thing,” Joshua added. “One is fire. You have to have that vim, that (roar). But also, there’s respect.

“I respect everything he has done and everything that he has achieved.

“But as a fighting person and someone who has been calling for this fight for a long time, we’re here now.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn, also speaking inside the ring in the wake of the bout streamed on DAZN, said the contract to fight Fury was signed.

“Everything’s done,” Hearn said. “But to be honest with you, tonight is all about the strength that (Joshua) showed to even be here tonight, and the strength that he had to show in that fight.”

Hearn said that as the first round unfolded, he feared Joshua had come back too soon after the traumatic loss of his friends.

But a beaming Joshua was bullish on the future.

“I can’t be stopped,” he said. “I’m not going to be stopped. I’m not going to be denied.”

Vanguard

Spain have been crowned 2026 FIFA World Cup champions, defeating defending champions Argentina 1-0 after extra time in a tense and dramatic final at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, United States.

Ferran Torres emerged as Spain’s hero, scoring the decisive goal in the 106th minute after connecting with a fine move involving Nico Williams to finally break Argentina’s stubborn resistance.

The goal proved enough to hand Spain their second FIFA World Cup title, 16 years after lifting their first trophy in South Africa in 2010.

The final lived up to its billing as a clash between two football giants, pitting Lionel Messi’s Argentina against a youthful Spanish side inspired by teenage sensation Lamine Yamal

Spain dominated possession and created the better chances throughout the contest but were repeatedly denied by Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, whose outstanding saves kept the match level during regulation time.

Argentina’s hopes suffered a major setback in stoppage time of the second half when midfielder Enzo Fernández was sent off after receiving a second yellow card, forcing the South Americans to play extra time with 10 men.

Spain eventually made their numerical advantage count as Torres found the breakthrough that settled the contest.

The victory capped a remarkable tournament for Spain, who defeated Austria, Portugal, Belgium and France on their way to the final before overcoming Argentina to reclaim football’s biggest prize.

Argentina, seeking a fourth World Cup title and back-to-back triumphs after their 2022 success, fell just short despite a determined defensive display.

Spain’s triumph cements the country’s return to the summit of world football and crowns an impressive generation of players led by coach Luis de la Fuente, whose side combined youthful flair with tactical discipline throughout the tournament.

Bukayo Saka scored a historic hat-trick as England defeated France 6-4 in a breathtaking FIFA World Cup encounter, sealing victory in one of the highest-scoring matches of the tournament.

The Arsenal winger became only the fourth England player to score a World Cup hat-trick, joining Geoff Hurst (1966), Gary Lineker (1986) and Harry Kane (2018).

England made a dream start, taking the lead after just three minutes when Declan Rice fired a powerful long-range effort beyond Mike Maignan.

Saka thought he had doubled the lead in the 12th minute, but the goal was ruled out for offside. England, however, remained in control and made it 2-0 in the 18th minute as Ezri Konsa headed home from Rice’s corner.

France struggled to cope with England’s pace and movement, and Saka struck twice before halftime. He finished from Marcus Rashford’s pass in the 37th minute before adding another in first-half stoppage time with a superb strike from the edge of the box to send England into the break with a commanding 4-0 lead.

Kylian Mbappe pulled one back three minutes into the second half before setting up Bradley Barcola to reduce the deficit to 4-2 in the 54th minute.

The pressure continued as Mbappe combined with Michael Olise, whose pass allowed the Real Madrid forward to score France’s third goal in the 66th minute.

England regained breathing space in the 87th minute after Malo Gusto fouled an opponent inside the penalty area. Saka calmly converted the spot kick to complete his hat-trick and restore England’s two-goal advantage at 5-3.

France refused to give up, with Ousmane Dembele scoring deep into stoppage time to make it 5-4 and set up a tense finish.

However, Jude Bellingham settled the contest almost immediately, producing a brilliant solo run before firing England’s sixth goal into the bottom corner in the 98th minute.

Despite the defeat, Mbappe continued his remarkable World Cup scoring run. His goal took him to 22 World Cup goals, moving him ahead of Lionel Messi as the competition’s all-time leading scorer. He also finished the tournament with 10 goals, becoming only the fourth player to score 10 or more goals at a single World Cup after Just Fontaine, Sándor Kocsis and Gerd Müller.

Olise also set a new World Cup record with his seventh assist of the tournament, but it was Saka’s unforgettable night that secured England’s famous victory