British heavyweight boxing star Anthony Joshua has taken a courageous step back into training, weeks after a devastating car crash in Nigeria claimed the lives of two of his closest friends and key members of his team.
The former world heavyweight champion, 36, was involved in the fatal accident on 29 December, when the vehicle he was travelling in collided with a stationary truck on a major road near Lagos. Joshua escaped with minor injuries, but the crash tragically killed his long-time strength and conditioning coach Sina Ghami and trainer Latif “Latz” Ayodele.
Nineteen days after the incident, Joshua shared a glimpse of his recovery journey, posting a video on Snapchat that showed him back in the gym, hitting pads and working through a workout. One clip was captioned simply but powerfully: “mental strength therapy.”
The crash occurred just days after Joshua’s high-profile victory over Jake Paul in Miami on 19 December, a win that marked another major moment in his boxing career. He had travelled to Nigeria for a holiday when tragedy struck.
Last week, Joshua also paid a heartfelt tribute to Ghami and Ayodele on Instagram, reflecting on the depth of the loss and the impact they had on his life.
“I didn’t even realise how special they are,” he wrote. “I’ll just be walking with them and cracking jokes with them, not even knowing God kept me in the presence of great men.”
Opening up about his grief, Joshua added: “100% it’s tough for me, but I know it’s even tougher for their parents.”
