A close friend of Anthony Joshua has revealed the boxer is in a "traumatised situation" after witnessing a fatal car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two of his closest companions.
A 'Crazy Nightmare' Unfolds Near Lagos
The incident occurred on Monday, 30 December 2025, when the black SUV carrying the 36-year-old British-Nigerian former heavyweight champion collided with a stationary truck on a major road near Lagos. Joshua sustained only minor injuries, but two of his friends travelling with him died at the scene.
Kolawole Omoboriowo, a friend who has known Joshua for eight years and coordinates his logistics in Nigeria, was the person who had to break the devastating news to the boxer's family in the UK. He described the aftermath as a "crazy nightmare for everyone".
"When I got the news, I instantly called his mum, who is like a mum to me," Mr Omoboriowo told Sky News on Wednesday, 31 December. When she did not answer, he reached a cousin, who then contacted someone at the crash site for confirmation. "Everyone started panicking… and we started looking around, [wondering] 'Who can we call? How do we know where they are?'"
Friends Lost: 'More Than a Friend' and a 'Twin Brother'
Mr Omoboriowo emphasised the profound bond Joshua shared with one of the victims, Latif Ayodele. He was not just a friend but was "more like a twin brother" to the boxer.
"That is somebody you see him with every single time, that is his best friend, that is who he loves, he talks to, he takes advice from," he said. The second victim was another close friend, Sina Ghami.
The tragedy has shifted all concern onto Joshua's mental state. "What is actually in my head now is: 'How do we get AJ out of that traumatised situation?'," Mr Omoboriowo stated. "And that is just the only thing that everybody is worried about right now."
Recovery and Reflection for the Boxing Star
Anthony Joshua was on holiday in Nigeria following his victory over Jake Paul in Miami on 19 December. The Watford-born athlete, whose parents are Nigerian, is currently recovering from his physical injuries in hospital.
While the world may think he is okay physically, his inner circle is deeply concerned about the psychological impact. "Right now, everybody might think AJ is okay," said Mr Omoboriowo. "But, as the boxer has lost a close friend, we don't know how he's gonna take it."
He appealed for the public to give Joshua space, saying, "We just want everybody to actually give him a moment to actually relax, rest, and we pick it up from there." He added that prayers were needed for God to give Joshua the strength to carry on.
Describing the former two-time world champion, Mr Omoboriowo painted a picture of a generous man: "He is a very wonderful person around everyone… not that kind of person that really cares about the income, money or anything." Another friend, Joshua's barber Gbadia Figbeghawei, said his initial reaction to the news was to wish to God, "don't let this be true".
