Anthony Joshua injured as car crash in Nigeria claims two close friends

Two members of Anthony Joshua’s inner circle have died following a road traffic accident in Nigeria that left the former heavyweight world champion injured, Sport360NG reports.

Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele were killed when the vehicle they were travelling in with Joshua and another passenger collided with a stationary truck on a major highway near Lagos. Nigerian authorities confirmed Joshua is conscious and in a stable condition, and did not require emergency medical treatment.

Joshua’s promoters, Matchroom Boxing, expressed their condolences in a statement confirming the deaths. “With profound sadness it has been confirmed that two close friends and team members, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, have tragically passed away,” the statement said. “Anthony sustained injuries in the accident and was taken to hospital for checks and treatment. He remains stable and under observation.”

Matchroom added that its thoughts were with the families and friends of those affected and requested privacy during what it described as an “incredibly difficult time”.

Tributes quickly followed from across the boxing world. British middleweight Chris Eubank Jr described Ghami and Ayodele, known to friends as ‘Latz’, as “genuinely good men”, offering prayers for their families while expressing relief that Joshua survived the crash.

Ghami had worked as Joshua’s full-time sport and exercise rehabilitation coach for more than a decade, playing a key role in some of the biggest fights of his career. He was part of the team that prepared Joshua for his 2017 world title victory over Wladimir Klitschko and for his recent win over Jake Paul earlier this month. Ghami had also worked with high-profile athletes including NFL running back Le’Veon Bell and NBA star Draymond Green.

Ayodele, a personal trainer and long-time friend of Joshua, had been with the boxer in the hours leading up to the accident. Joshua shared a video on social media shortly before the crash showing the pair playing table tennis together.

Joshua was in Nigeria after stopping YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in the sixth round of their heavyweight bout in Miami. Paul later wrote on social media that “life is much more important than boxing” and said his thoughts were with those affected by the tragedy.

Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said five adult men were involved in the incident, which occurred on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway at around midday local time on Monday. The crash involved a black Lexus and a stationary commercial truck parked at the roadside.

According to preliminary findings, the Lexus was suspected to have been travelling above the speed limit and appeared to lose control during an overtaking manoeuvre before hitting the truck. The FRSC said Joshua and the vehicle’s driver were rescued by the boxer’s security team.

Video footage from the scene showed Joshua being assisted from the rear seat of the badly damaged vehicle.

The accident comes just weeks after Joshua returned to the ring following more than a year away, with plans reportedly in place for a future bout in Saudi Arabia and, later, a long-anticipated showdown with Tyson Fury. However, those boxing ambitions have been overshadowed by the loss of two people who were central figures in his professional and personal life.

For now, the focus remains on Joshua’s recovery and the families of Ghami and Ayodele, as the boxing community unites in mourning and support.