Professional boxer Anthony Joshua has broken his silence after a tragic car crash in Nigeria killed two of his friends and sent him to hospital.
Joshua posted two photos via Instagram on Sunday, January 4, with the caption “My Brothers Keeper ❤️🪖❤️” as a tribute to his two friends, Sina Ghami i Latif Ayodelewho died in the accident.
The The accident took place on Monday, December 29 when 36-year-old Joshua was driving on Nigeria’s Lagos–Abeokuta Expressway, the busiest highway in the country.
At the time of the events, the local police confirmed to the BBC that Joshua was “fine” despite suffering some minor injuries.
Several photos shared on social media appear to show a shirtless Joshua being removed from the vehicle.
An eyewitness statement shared with a Nigerian outlet claimed that Joshua was “sitting behind the driver” at the time of the crash and that there was “another person next to him” in the vehicle.
Later on Monday, Matchroom Boxing confirmed in a statement that the two victims in the vehicles were Ghami and Ayodele.
“It is with deep sadness that it has been confirmed that two close friends and team members Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele have tragically passed away,” Matchroom Boxing said in a statement.
Joshua was taken to a hospital after the accident.
“He is in a stable condition and will remain there for observation,” the statement added. “Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to the families and friends of all those affected, and we ask that their privacy be respected at this incredibly difficult time. No further comment will be made at this time.”
Ghami was the founder of Evolve Gym and worked closely on strength and conditioning with Joshua. his final social media post was uploaded last month, showing him working on Joshua’s body ahead of the professional athlete’s Dec. 19 boxing match against Jake Paul.
Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua.
(Photo by Giorgio VIERA / AFP)Ayodele was a trusted friend of Joshua and worked as a personal trainer. Joshua’s last social post before the accident showed the friends playing table tennis together.
Joshua is a former two-time heavyweight champion, most recently knocked out Paul28-year-old, in their highly anticipated matchup, which was broadcast on Netflix from the Kaseya Center in Miami.
The shot at the end of the match, which finally broke Paul’s jawcame after the influencer appeared to mock Joshua by sticking out his tongue.
“It wasn’t the best performance. It wasn’t the best,” Joshua admitted after the win. “The ultimate goal was to ‘hook Jake Paul and hurt him.’
Joshua has been boxing since he was 18 years old. He won the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics representing Great Britain. He has held the Unified World Heavyweight Championship belt twice in his career, first from 2017 to 2019 and then again from 2019 to 2021.
“My mind is filled with a different kind of pain. Just the things I want to do to my opponents. I want to compete. I want to fight. I want you to hit me. Then I’ll hit you 10 more times,” he said. Daily Mail Sports earlier this month. “I just want to compete and that’s where my mind is at.”