Anthony Joshua calls out Tyson Fury after knocking out Kristian Prenga

Anthony Joshua called out Tyson Fury following his defeat against Kristian Prenga.

Joshua returned to the ring in Saudi Arabia this evening to take on Prenga in an eagerly-anticipated comeback bout.

Although Joshua was the clear odds-on favourite heading into the fight, things didn’t get off to a great start and Prenga sent him sprawling to the canvas within the first 30 seconds.

As the first round continued, Joshua fell down again, prompting shocked gasps from the packed out crowd.

However, it was a very different story in the second round with Joshua coming out strong and landing a punch on Prenga that sent him falling down onto the ropes and earning a knockout victory.

Speaking after the fight, Joshua called out Tyson Fury, asking: "Hold on, wait a minute. Have we got Tyson Fury in the room? Is he here or not?”

When it was confirmed that Fury, who had a win over 46-year-old Mariusz Wach around 4,000 miles away in Thailand on Friday, wasn’t in the arena, Joshua quoted Mike Tyson saying: "I’m gonna rip his heart out.

“I'm the meanest and most vicious champion there's ever been, and nobody who can stop me.”

Joshua then burst out laughing before becoming more serious and saying: “Listen all jokes aside, there are two sides to this thing. One is fire, you have to have the vim, that grrr but also there’s respect.

“I respect everything he has done and everything that he’s achieved but as a fighting person and as someone who has been calling for this fight for a long time, we’re here now.”

He then thanked Eddie Hearn for the ‘opportunity’ and added: “And I hope the fans will be in for a lovely treat.”

Joshua’s win tonight alongside Fury’s win yesterday, has helped pave the way for a long-awaited clash between the two British boxers.

Last night, Fury sent out his own message to Joshua.

He said: "When it comes to that next fight, whoever it might be, I'll be ready and sharp.

"I got through my test tonight, lets see if he gets through his test and the biggest test of it all. It's how big his balls are! I think he's a big s*******.

"At Tottenham he never had the guts to get in the ring and face me. If he ever does, I'm not convinced."

Speaking in the ring tonight, Eddie Hearn said the fight between the heavyweights was 'signed', with reports suggesting it could take place as soon as November.

Elsewhere in his post-match interview, Joshua also made an emotional tribute to his friends Sina Ghami and personal trainer Latif Ayodele who died in a car crash in December.

Talking in the ring after the bout, he said: "It’s what champions do. We rise, we get knocked down and we stand up and we keep going, that’s life’s motto.

"That was spirit. That was Sina and Latz. That was the families. That was… it hurts even talking about it.”

Hearn said that boxing had helped Joshua get through the last few months.

“Nobody can imagine what he's been through in the last seven months,” he said.

“In that first round, I thought we'd come back too soon.

“Boxing got him through. To even be in the ring tonight is astonishing. You don't know what he's been through.

“He had to go to the depths one more time to get up, like he has done the last seven months.”