Anthony Joshua is still recovering in a Nigerian hospital after a car crash that killed two of the British boxer’s closest friends.
Joshua’s personal trainer Kevin “Latif” Ayodele and strength and conditioning coach Sheena Ghami were killed on Monday when the car they were traveling in collided with a stationary vehicle on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Footage on social media showed the two-time heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist wincing in pain as he was helped out of the rubble.
Joshua suffered “minor injuries” in the fatal accident, but is in stable condition and is being monitored at a hospital in Lagos.
The extent of the 36-year-old Joshua’s injuries has not yet been confirmed and it remains unclear when he will be released from hospital.
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Friends have paid tribute to Sheena Gami and Latif Ayodele, the two passengers who tragically died in a car crash involving Anthony Joshua in Nigeria.
Joshua’s family expresses ‘huge shock’
Joshua, who is of Nigerian descent, was in Nigeria to celebrate his recent fight with Jake Paul.
After 15 months away from the ring, Joshua made his return on December 19th with a sixth-round knockout win over the YouTuber-turned-boxer in Miami.
Residents of Sagamu, Ogun State, where Joshua’s relatives live, expressed shock at Monday’s events.
Anthony Joshua recently returned to the ring for the first time in 15 months to fight YouTuber Jake Paul
Adedamola Joshua, the uncle of Anthony Joshua’s father, told The Associated Press: “The whole nation was very close to him (Anthony Joshua) and he was very free among the people, so it was a big shock for us.”
Oluwatoyin Omoleye, a resident of Sagamu, said: “It’s very sad because Anthony was planning to come back to celebrate with the people here.”
“Joshua needs time to process the tragedy.”
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Boxing reporter Andy Scott said there was an “outpouring of love” and support for those involved in the car crash that injured Anthony Joshua and tragically claimed the lives of his friends Sheena Gami and Latif Ayodele.
Andy Scott of Sky Sports Boxing:
“AJ is still in the hospital, under observation and recovering. I have contacted their team informally, but it is very difficult to accommodate everyone at this time.
“Social media can be both a blessing and a curse in stories like this, and while there is a lot of detailed information out there, there is also some misinformation.
“I won’t speculate, other than that Joshua will need a tremendous amount of time and space to process this both physically and mentally.
“It’s very difficult to put into words, let alone imagine what he’s going through right now.”
