Bereaved former World Heavyweight Champion, Anthony Joshua, has expressed gratitude to family and friends for their support towards his two late friends, AbdulLateef Ayodele and Sina Ghami.

In a touching tribute shared on his X account on Thursday, the British-Nigerian boxer, Anthony Joshua, confessed that he never knew he was surrounded by great men until their death.

He described the deaths of AbdulLateef Ayodele and Sina Ghami as tough one that will take a long time to heal, while expressing his condolences to their families.

“Thank you for all the love and care you have shown my brothers. 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.

“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,” he wrote.

Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele lost their lives when the vehicle they were travelling in, alongside Anthony Joshua and another passenger, collided with a stationary truck on a major road near Lagos.

Joshua returned to the UK on Friday night following the horror crash that left him hospitalised, and he is expected at the Janaza Prayer Service alongside his mum,

and other family members.

The British heavyweight boxer landed at London Stansted Airport in a private jet on Friday night and was ferried to his mansion, where he’ll continue his recuperation.

Joshua survived a fatal car accident in Makun, Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria, which claimed the lives of two British men travelling with him.

The vehicle conveying Anthony Joshua, a Lexus SUV, was involved in the accident under circumstances that are currently being investigated.

He was seated in the rear of the vehicle, sustained minor injuries and is receiving medical attention.”

The 36-year-old boxer, who sustained minor injuries, was treated in Lagos after his promoters, Matchroom Boxing, confirmed the deaths of Ayodele and Ghami, describing them as “integral” to Joshua’s team.

Ghami served as Joshua’s full-time sport and exercise rehabilitation coach for over 10 years. He played a crucial role in helping the 36-year-old former heavyweight champion prepare for some of the biggest fights of his career, including the title-winning match against Wladimir Klitschko in 2017 and his recent victory over Jake Paul this month.

In addition to working with Joshua, Ghami has also trained former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell and Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors. Just hours before the crash, Joshua shared a video on Instagram where he was playing table tennis with his longtime friend Ayodele, who is also a personal trainer.

Sina and Latz are regarded as massive parts of the Anthony Joshua winning machine. Joshua had recently returned to the ring after more than a year away, defeating Jake Paul on Netflix in what turned out to be a significant payday.

He was in Nigeria to celebrate the New Year with his family when tragedy struck. The plan was for Joshua to fight again in Saudi Arabia in February, eventually moving toward the highly anticipated bout against Tyson Fury later in 2026. However, at this moment, those plans feel secondary

(The Guardian)

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