Former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua has paid an emotional public tribute to two of his closest friends, a month after they were killed in a car crash in Nigeria.
Joshua took to social media on Thursday evening to thank supporters for their messages and to honour Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, known as “Latz”, who both died in a road traffic collision near Lagos in December.
Ghami, Joshua’s long-time strength and conditioning coach, and Ayodele, his personal trainer and childhood friend, were part of the boxer’s inner circle for many years. The two men were travelling in Nigeria at the time of the crash, which occurred in the early hours of the morning on a major road outside Lagos. Local reports said their vehicle collided with a stationary heavy goods truck.
In the video message, Joshua described the loss as sudden and devastating, saying plans for the future had been abruptly overturned. He spoke of the pair not only as colleagues but as brothers who had shared his journey from childhood through to world championship success.
Joshua said the deaths had left a deep personal impact, adding that while he did not want to publicly display all of his emotions, he was clear about his responsibility to honour their legacy. He said the two men had been central figures in his life, both personally and professionally.
The boxer also reaffirmed his commitment to supporting their families, stating that he intended to help fulfil the goals and aspirations Ghami and Ayodele had held for their loved ones. He said a wider team was working alongside him to ensure their legacy would continue.
He thanked supporters around the world for their prayers, messages and tributes, saying the level of global support had been overwhelming and deeply appreciated by both families.
The bodies of Ghami and Ayodele were later returned to the UK. A joint funeral service was held at a mosque in London on 4 January, attended by Joshua, relatives, friends and members of the boxing community. Shortly after the service, Joshua shared an image on social media showing him sitting with family members while holding a framed photograph of Ghami, accompanied by the caption “My Brother’s Keeper”.
The deaths sent shockwaves through the boxing world, where both men were widely respected. Ghami had worked with Joshua for years in strength training and sports rehabilitation, while Ayodele had been a constant presence in his life since childhood.
Joshua has since returned to light training, sharing images of himself back in the gym in mid-January, which he described as helping his mental wellbeing. His immediate boxing future remains uncertain as he continues to grieve.
His promoter Eddie Hearn has said any return to the ring would come only when Joshua feels ready, adding that the former champion may one day choose to fight in honour of his late friends.