The fight was supposed to be a relatively safe way for Joshua to feel his way back into action after the tragic December car crash which took the lives of his two closest friends. He was expected to easily step over the final obstacle separating him from a long overdue Battle of Britain with Tyson Fury.

Cast into a supporting actor role, the relatively unknown Prenga said all the right things throughout the build-up but his quiet manner didn’t elicit much support.

Sullivan took it upon himself to sing his man's praises as loudly as he could and Prenga (20-2, 20 KOs) almost delivered an all-time shock.

During a sensational opening round he seemed to hurt the two-time unified heavyweight champion almost every time he connected. He dropped Joshua (30-4, 27 KOs) twice and another big right hand sent the Brit careering backwards, the ropes keeping him upright.

Rather than going for broke in the second, Prenga chose to bide his time and allowed himself to be pushed backwards, a fatal mistake against a fighter of Joshua’s caliber. The Londoner grabbed the lifeline, knocking Prenga out with a right of his own as the round drew to a close.

On Sunday, Sullivan was able to look back with pride but frustration at just how close Prenga came to causing a stunning upset.

"Kristian was literally half a punch away from upsetting the entire boxing world. I think my guy gave Eddie Hearn the fright of his life," Sullivan told The Ring via message.

"I have been saying for weeks that Matchroom miscalculated Prenga and that he was going to shock the world. While he didn't get the outcome we desired, I do think we shocked the world because no one anticipated KP's power - especially AJ.

"Unfortunately, a tactical error took place that Prenga regrets, preserving himself allowed AJ to settle in and bring the fight to an abrupt end. KP should have used AJ's strategy when he was in trouble during the first round by holding on, grabbing and trying to survive. I'm very proud of him, think he's now made a big name for himself and will be back in the mix of major heavyweight fights."

Although Prenga will replay the 60 seconds he spent on his stool between the first and second rounds for years to come, those opening three minutes are guaranteed to earn the 35-year-old plenty of future work.

Sullivan thinks he can capitalise on the moment. He believes Prenga has all the raw materials required of a top class heavyweight and now wants him to hone his skills so when the next moment arrives, he is better prepared mentally and physically to take it.

"He's got the power. He’s a little short on the fine-tuning of the skill set. He doesn't have the skills that AJ has and we can work on that because the power is there," Sullivan said after the fight.

"The heart, dedication and commitment to the craft is there. The other stuff we can bring along. I think he did a great showing of how durable and tough he is. But you stop punching, start backing up and put your back into a corner, you're in Joshua's kill zone and that is what it is. So, we have to live with that now, accept it and move on.

"But I think certainly in the first round, he did more than enough to demonstrate that he belongs on the big stage and we'll be back here on a major event again."