In a deeply moving and candid exchange, former world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua has opened up about the devastating car accident in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two of his closest friends. The emotional conversation took place with UFC legend Kamaru Usman and was captured in a video shared on Usman’s YouTube channel, filmed while Joshua was still receiving medical care in Lagos.
The tragedy occurred on December 29 along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway when the vehicle Joshua was traveling in collided with a stationary truck. While the boxer miraculously survived with minor injuries, the crash was fatal for his longtime friends and team members, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele. Joshua was rushed to Duchess International Hospital following the incident, where he remained under observation for several days.
In the footage, a visibly shaken Joshua seen with bandages on his head and torso recounted the chilling moments of the crash. When Usman asked about the seating arrangement in the vehicle, Joshua explained that one friend was in the front passenger seat while the other was directly behind him. “They both passed away,” Joshua said softly, admitting that the weight of the loss still felt surreal. “It still hasn’t sunk in. It still hasn’t hit me yet.”
Usman, who was in Lagos for an MMA event on December 30, offered words of comfort to the boxer, noting how the news of the accident had sent shockwaves across the globe. “You scared the world,” Usman remarked, reflecting on the fragility of life. Joshua echoed the sentiment, noting that it often takes such a harrowing experience to realize the depth of support one truly has, despite the noise of social media critics.
Following his discharge from the hospital on New Year’s Eve, Joshua returned to the United Kingdom to attend the funeral services for Ghami and Ayodele. He recently broke his silence on social media by sharing a poignant photograph of himself standing in solidarity with the families of the deceased. In a brief but powerful tribute, he captioned the image “My Brother’s Keeper,” a testament to the lifelong bond he shared with the men who helped shape his career.
As the boxing community continues to mourn the loss of these two vital figures, the incident has also sparked renewed discussions regarding road safety and the dangers of stationary vehicles on major highways. For Anthony Joshua, the road to physical recovery may be short, but the emotional journey of healing from the loss of his “brothers” is only just beginning.
