The family of Anthony Joshua has shared an update after the boxer was involved in a fatal car crash while traveling in Nigeria. He had been heading to visit his family home when the accident happened, and the situation has left those close to him shaken.
Joshua, a former two-time heavyweight world champion, was taken to hospital on Monday, December 29. The 36-year-old was a passenger in a black Lexus SUV along with his personal trainer Latif Ayodele and strength and conditioning coach Sina Ghami.
Their vehicle collided with a stationary red commercial Sinotruck in north-east Lagos. Both Ayodele and Ghami were killed in the crash, a devastating loss for Joshua, as the two men were close friends and part of his inner circle.
Ghami was a co-founder of a London-based gym and worked as a sports and exercise rehabilitator. He specialized in musculoskeletal injuries and corrective exercise, and had previously worked with elite athletes across the NFL and the NBA.
Ayodele served as Joshua’s personal trainer and was open about his faith on social media. In a pinned post from 2020, he wrote: “Finding Islam in 2012 has been my biggest blessing.”
Tributes quickly followed the news. Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn described the pair as great men, writing: “With the heaviest of hearts. Two great men. Rest in eternal peace Sina and Latz. My thoughts and deepest prayers are with everyone.”
The promotional company Matchroom Boxing also confirmed the deaths, saying: “With profound sadness it has been confirmed that two close friends and team members Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele have tragically passed away.”
Earlier this month, Joshua had been in the headlines after defeating Jake Paul in a boxing bout in Miami on December 19. He dropped Paul four times before securing a sixth-round knockout victory.
After that fight, Joshua said: “It wasn’t the best performance,” before calling out long-time rival Tyson Fury. He added: “If Tyson Fury is as serious as he thinks he is, and he wants to put down his Twitter fingers and put on some gloves and come and fight one of the realest fighters out there that will take on any challenge, step into the ring with me next if you’re a real bad boy.”
Following Monday’s crash, reports have suggested that plans for the proposed mega-fight are now uncertain. Images from the scene showed Joshua grimacing as he was helped from the wreckage along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
He was taken to hospital for treatment, and while his injuries were initially described as minor, those close to him fear they could be more serious. One person suggested possible rib and knee injuries, despite authorities playing down the extent of the damage.
A spokesperson said: “Anthony sustained injuries in the accident and was taken to hospital for checks and treatment, he is in a stable condition and will remain there for observation.”
A relative of Joshua has also spoken about the family’s shock and sadness. They said they had been expecting him to arrive for New Year celebrations after not seeing him over the festive period.
They said: “We are hoping for his speedy recovery and also the people who passed away – I pray for the departed to rest in peace.” They added: “He’s normally coming around for the new year. We haven’t seen him so we were expecting him.”
Nigerian authorities have issued preliminary findings into the cause of the crash. They said excessive speed and wrongful overtaking were to blame.
In a statement, officials said: “Preliminary findings indicate that the Lexus Jeep, which was suspected to be travelling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit on the corridor, lost control during an overtaking manoeuvre and crashed into a stationary truck well packed by the side of the road.
“The primary causes of the crash being excessive speed and wrongful overtaking constitute serious traffic violations and remain among the leading causes of fatal road crashes on Nigerian highways.”
