Anthony Joshua had just won over boxing fans once again when he defeated Jake Paul on December 19th. However, nobody could have thought those celebrations would turn into mourning just 10 days later. On Monday, Joshua was travelling with two close friends, who were also members of his team, in Nigeria. And that’s when the unthinkable happened. 

Reports revealed that the 36-year-old, alongside Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele, was in a Lexus Jeep when it collided with a stationary red commercial truck on the busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. Sadly, while Joshua came out of the accident with injuries, his two friends, Ghami and Ayodele, have been confirmed dead. 

Anthony Joshua, who is of Nigerian descent, was reportedly in the country with his team members, vacationing, after his last fight. For now, the former unified heavyweight champion is in a local hospital, where he was taken immediately after the crash for “checks and treatment.” He is currently in a stable condition and will remain there for observation.

What made the entire ordeal even more surreal was that Joshua had shared a clip on social media before the crash, showing him playing table tennis with Mr. Ayodele, who had been working closely with him for the past decade. Meanwhile, Mr. Ghami, a physiotherapist in the boxer’s team, has also been posting on social media from Lagos.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the boxing community after the news began circulating on social media. Based on Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) initial investigation, they claim the Lexus was “suspected to be traveling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit.” They further added that the car seems to have lost control while overtaking and crashed into the red truck. 

Notably, there was another survivor from the crash, the car’s driver, who was also rescued by the boxer’s security. Video of Joshua being helped out of the wreck has since gone viral, as friends, rivals, and members of the community gather on social media to send prayers to Joshua and condolences for his late friends. 

Jake Paul and Mike Tyson’s son are among the well-wishers for Anthony Joshua

Heavyweight Jarrell Miller shared a clip of Anthony Joshua to send his message. “We ain’t friends, but as warrior and human beings, my heart goes out to you,” Miller wrote on Instagram. “Prayers go out to you, your friends, and family. Get well, bruv. Life is truly [too] short.” Meanwhile, in the clip, Joshua can be seen talking about how short life can be. 

Ryan Garcia also hopped on X to share his thoughts. “Man, just seen the Anthony Joshua situation, makes me super sad. Praying for everyone in the situation. May God give you peace in this situation, Anthony. Tell the people you love that you love them. Anything can happen,” Garcia wrote. 

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Fellow Brit Chris Eubank Jr. also had a message for Joshua. “Thank god our heavyweight champ survived that horrible car crash. And pray for the two fallen soldiers, Latz & Sina & their families. I knew both… they were genuinely good men. Rest in Peace, boys,” Eubank Jr. wrote. 

Mike Tyson’s son, Amir J Tyson, took to his Instagram story with a message. “Life is unexpected, man. Nothin is guaranteed. Wouldn’t wish that on anyone, man smh,” Tyson wrote. 

Boxer Shannon Courtenay recalled her last few moments with Joshua’s two fallen friends. “RIP Sina & Latz. Two good guys. Last week we’re all having fun in Miami, and today [you are] gone, life really is too short. May the Lord look over their loved ones during this awful time,” Courtenay wrote.

Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions took to X to share their thoughts. “The MVP family is thinking of and praying for everyone [who] has been impacted by today’s car accident in Nigeria. Our prayers and condolences go out to all,” they wrote. 

Meanwhile, Jake Paul himself has released a statement. “Life is much more important than boxing. I am praying for the lost lives, AJ, and anyone impacted by today’s unfortunate accident,” Paul wrote. Joshua broke Paul’s jaw in two places during their fight. 

His Excellency Turki Alalshikh also had a few lines for Joshua. “Thank God, brother, you are safe, and my condolences to the ones who passed away in this incident, and my sincere wishes to the injured people to come back healthier and stronger,” Alalshikh wrote. 

Even Francis Ngannou wished for Joshua’s speedy recovery. “Hoping for a speedy recovery for AJ and my sincere condolences to all those who lost [their lives] in today’s tragedy in Lagos,” Ngannou wrote. Joshua scored a second-round knockout during their fight in 2024.

Clearly, the accident has caused a lot of pain for the people involved. However, the boxing community, like always, has come together to show its support.