Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua needs time to grieve before making a decision about his boxing future, but believes the former heavyweight champion will return to the ring.
Joshua’s close friends and team members Sheena Ghami and Latif “Rats” Ayodele were killed in a traffic accident on December 29 near Lagos, Nigeria, when the vehicle they were traveling in collided with a stopped truck.
Joshua was also a passenger and suffered minor injuries.
The incident occurred 10 days after the 2012 Olympic gold medalist defeated Jake Paul in Miami. The fight was his first since September 2024, when he lost to fellow Briton Daniel Dubois.
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Fabio Wardley says Joshua needs to calm down before making a decision on his next steps in the sport
Joshua’s promoter Hearn told Sportsman Boxing:
“We’re only now starting to have more conversations because it takes time to get through something like this. I think the best thing you can do in this situation is give people time.”
“It’s confusing to me that people ask me what’s next and if I’ve talked to him about his career. No, those conversations are a long way off.
“My plan is to meet him as a spouse next week. I’m not going to go there and say, ‘I know this terrible tragedy happened, but let’s talk about what’s going to happen.’ It would be stupid to do that. That would be completely wrong.”
“When something like this happens, it’s not about boxing or business, it’s about you guys and those two families. It’s time to grieve and come to terms with this tragic incident.
“You can never blame him if he never fights again, but knowing AJ, I believe that after he grieves, he will want to get back to boxing.
“The only thing that will clear your mind is time, and he will always have it. We don’t have belts, we don’t have to do anything. We don’t have two years to fight, or ever fight again.”
“We have to give AJ all the support he needs.”
Hearn added that he was “heartbroken” over the loss of two friends who were instrumental in Joshua’s success.
“Sheena and Latz were two people who were incredibly close to him on many different levels,” Hearn added.
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Friends pay tribute to Sheena Gami and Latif Ayodele, who died in Nigeria late last year.
“Not only did they follow him and watch him grow, but they were an integral part of the team. They were very loyal and passionate. Going into the final fight, Sheena was like the leader of the camp.”
“Things like this don’t stick with you for a long time and I don’t think it sinks in deep. It didn’t sink in for me and I wasn’t around them that often. So imagine being AJ. Imagine being involved in that incident. It breaks my heart for him.”
“I know how strong he is, but as much as you can try to be strong and give that image and that front-facing attitude, you never know how the other person feels deep down.
“That’s why we have to be there for him. We have to give him all the support he needs and give him the time he needs to decide what he’s going to do.”
