Anthony Joshua issues first public update after fatal Nigeria car crash

Joshua’s friends Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele died after the vehicle they were travelling in hit a stationary truck

Anthony Joshua has posted his first public update since being left injured in a fatal car crash in Nigeria, which tragically killed two of his friends and team members.

‘AJ’ has returned to the UK ahead of the funerals for close friends Sina Ghami, who served as a strength and conditioning coach, and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele, who was also involved in his training team.

Both men died after their vehicle collided with a stationary truck on a major road near Lagos on Monday.

Joshua was left in agony after being hauled out of the vehicle and then received hospital treatment before being discharged on Wednesday.

And the former two-time unified world heavyweight champion has now posted two images on Instagram on Sunday with the caption: ‘My Brothers Keeper’.

Joshua can be seen sitting alongside his mother and three other women, with one holding a photograph of Ghami.

On Friday, the Ogun State Police Command confirmed Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, who was driving the car with Joshua as a passenger, had been charged over the crash at the Sagamu Magistrate Court.

Joshua has returned to the UK following the car crash in Nigeria (X/@FRSCNigeria)

Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps suggested speeding and an overtake attempt were to blame for the crash, but Ogun state’s police commissioner later told ESPN that a burst tyre on Joshua’s vehicle caused the driver to lose control and “swerve into the stationary truck parked along the road”.

Joshua, who was born in Watford to Nigerian parents, was on holiday in the African country following his sixth-round knockout win over YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami on December 19.

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Plans had been made for Joshua to fight again in February, likely in Saudi Arabia, with Riyadh Season boss Turki Alalshikh proposing a future fight in 2026 against long-tim British rival Tyson Fury.

Fury has since confirmed his return to boxing, following his retirement in 2024 after back-to-back defeats to former undisputed heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk, who also beat Joshua twice.

Posting on Instagram, Fury said: “2026 is that year. Return of the mac. Been away for a while but I'm back now, 37 years old and still punching. Nothing better to do than punch men in the face and get paid for it.”

Anthony Joshua in the moments after his stoppage of Jake Paul (Getty)

The former world champion also reached out to Joshua and paid his respect to Ghami and Ayodele.

“This is so sad,” wrote Fury, while sharing a post about Joshua’s late teammates. “May god give them a good bed in heaven.”

Fury later shared a video interview involving Joshua from earlier this year, adding: “thoughts & prayers with AJ and the families who have lost.”

PA contributed to this report