Former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua has broken his silence with an emotional tribute following a devastating car crash in Nigeria last month that killed two of his closest friends.
A Tragic Incident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
The 36-year-old British boxer was involved in the serious collision on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on December 29. Joshua was pulled from the wreckage and taken to hospital for treatment, visibly in pain. Tragically, his two friends and long-time team members, Sina Ghami and Latif 'Latz' Ayodele, were both pronounced dead at the scene.
In a heartfelt post on his Instagram, Joshua expressed his grief and paid tribute to the men he considered brothers. 'Thank you for all the love and care you have shown my brothers,' he wrote. 'I didn’t even realise how special they are. I’ll just be walking with them and cracking jokes with them, not even knowing God kept me in the presence of great men.'
He acknowledged the profound loss, adding: '100% it’s tough for me, but I know it’s even tougher for their parents. I have a strong mind, and I believe God knows their hearts. May God have mercy on my brothers.'
Remembering Joshua's Fallen Friends
Both men were integral, behind-the-scenes figures in Joshua's career. Latif Ayodele was Joshua's personal trainer and a close friend since the boxer's first world title win in 2016. A devout Muslim, Ayodele's social media was filled with moments from the gym and downtime with AJ. Just hours before the fatal crash, he posted a video of the pair laughing while playing table tennis.
Sina Ghami served as Joshua's strength and conditioning coach for over a decade and was the co-founder of London's Evolve Gym. A qualified sports rehabilitator, Ghami was by Joshua's side for career-defining moments, including his epic victory over Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley in 2017. His final Instagram story appeared to show Joshua's motorcade travelling through Lagos.
Joshua's Conversation with Kamaru Usman and Future in Doubt
Earlier this week, footage emerged from a conversation Joshua had with UFC fighter Kamaru Usman on December 30, the day after the crash. In the clip, recorded at an MMA event in Lagos, Joshua is heard telling Usman, 'obviously, two of my close friends passed away.' When asked if they were in the front of the Lexus, Joshua revealed, 'One was in the front and one was behind him, on the right side. They both passed away. It still hasn’t sunk in. It still hasn’t hit me yet.'
Usman later stated he was unaware the private conversation was being recorded and has taken responsibility for its release.
The tragedy has cast significant doubt on Joshua's immediate boxing future. His long-time promoter, Eddie Hearn, has insisted the fighter needs 'time and privacy' before any discussions about a return to the ring. 'This is a terrible tragedy and Anthony’s going to need his own time, physically and emotionally,' Hearn told talkSPORT. 'At the moment, there’s nothing to discuss or say. Let’s give him his time.'
The boxing world now waits to see how the former champion processes this immense personal loss, with his career understandably on hold.
