Anthony Joshua pays tribute to friends killed in car crash, thanks Otedola, Dangote for support

Anthony Joshua has broken his silence following a devastating road accident that claimed the lives of two of his close friends, sharing an emotional video message in their honour.

The tragic incident occurred on December 29, when the Lexus SUV conveying Joshua crashed into a parked truck near Lagos, Nigeria. The former world heavyweight champion escaped with minor injuries, but two members of his inner circle — Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele — lost their lives.

Both men were not only part of Joshua’s professional team but also among his closest companions. In the aftermath of the crash, the boxer largely withdrew from public view as he mourned the painful loss.

On Thursday night, Joshua addressed the tragedy publicly for the first time through a heartfelt video posted on his social media platforms, where he also expressed gratitude to fans and well-wishers for their support.

He said: “The last time I spoke to you guys was in Miami, we had so many plans to wrap up 2025. We went home, to see our families and everything go flipped on it’s head.

“That was such an unforeseen circumstance that was out of all of our control. And not only did their parents, their uncles, their cousins, their friends and myself, lose two great men.

“We lost people that we really care about have been major players in all of our lives, major, major players in all of our lives. It’s tough. It’s really tough.

“I’m not gonna sit here and show all of my emotions. I know in today’s day and age, it’s easy to analyse people, pass judgment, but I know what I thought, and I know how I feel.”

Joshua went on to reflect on the depth of his relationship with the late Ghami and Ayodele, describing them as far more than colleagues.

He added: “I know what my duty is. They were my brothers, my friends, first and foremost. Then we became business partners, we became hustlers, we became generals, we became everything. We became housemates, who were living together.

“You know, I’ve lost people before, but I don’t think I’ve lost people throughout this journey that I’ve been on. It’s like you think I’m the big guy but I was walking with giants. Protected.”

The Olympic gold medallist also pledged to stand by the families left behind, promising continued support as they navigate life without their loved ones.

“My goal is to help their families and to help them achieve their goals, even though they may not be here in the physical. I will be saying my prayers, and I’m going to help them fulfil their dreams for their families,” Joshua vowed.

He continued: “I’m gonna do what’s right by their family. It’s about what’s important to me, and they’re very important players, very important team, with very important friends and two of my brothers.

“So yeah, I don’t think I’ve mentioned the love and appreciation. It’s all acknowledged by me, by them, by their families. 100 per cent we acknowledge the 1000s, maybe going into millions around the world that show so much love to them both. I still can’t get my head around it.

“We heard you all, we saw the messages, the tweets, the social media, the YouTubes, the prayers, it’s all been acknowledged.”

In words accompanying his video, Joshua thanked several persons, including doctors at Lagoon Hospital, Ikoyi, Lagos, President Bola Tinubu, Femi Otedola, Aliko Dangote, Senator Daisy Danjuma, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, governors of Lagos and Ogun states, for their support.

After the accident, the remains of Ghami and Ayodele were flown back to the United Kingdom, where a joint funeral prayer was held at a London mosque on January 4.

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