Two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has broken his public silence following a tragic car accident in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two of his close friends and team members.
A Poignant Tribute Ahead of Funerals
The British boxer took to Instagram on Sunday, 4 January 2026, sharing a photograph alongside family members of the deceased. The caption, "My Brothers Keeper", accompanied the image, which showed Joshua and his mother with three women. One of the women held a framed picture of Sina Ghami, one of the victims.
The post quickly attracted hundreds of messages of support and condolence from followers, filled with heart and praying hands emojis. The update came on the same day that the funerals for his friends, Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami, were scheduled to take place at a London mosque.
Details of the Fatal Collision
The fatal incident occurred on 29 December near Lagos, Nigeria. Joshua, 36, was a passenger in the back of a black SUV when it collided with a stationary truck on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway near Sagamu, approximately 30 miles from Lagos.
The crash happened at around midday local time (11am UK time), according to Nigeria's Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). Latif Ayodele, a personal trainer and long-time friend of Joshua, and Sina Ghami, a sports rehabilitator who had worked with the boxer for over a decade, were both killed.
The driver of the SUV involved in the crash has been charged with four offences, including dangerous driving causing death and driving without a valid national licence.
Mourning a "Massive Loss"
Tributes have poured in for both men, described as integral parts of Joshua's circle. A friend of Latif Ayodele remembered him as "one of the most pure-hearted, clean-hearted people ever... he had not a bad intention or a bad bone in his body."
Sina Ghami was a qualified specialist in musculoskeletal injuries and corrective exercise, having dedicated over ten years to Team Anthony Joshua. The boxer and his mother had previously visited a funeral home in Lagos ahead of the London services.
The group had been on holiday in Nigeria following Joshua's high-profile victory over American YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami in December.
Born in Watford to Nigerian parents, Joshua's connection to the country remains strong. This first public update marks a sombre moment for the sporting star and his team as they mourn a profound personal loss.
