British boxing star Anthony Joshua has spoken publicly for the first time following a devastating road accident in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two people close to him.

The 36-year-old former heavyweight champion was involved in a fatal collision near Lagos while travelling as a passenger in a Lexus SUV. The vehicle reportedly crashed into a stationary truck on a busy expressway, resulting in the deaths of Joshua’s close friends and team associates, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele.

Joshua sustained injuries in the crash and was rushed to hospital, where he received treatment before being discharged last Wednesday. He has since returned to the United Kingdom. Funeral prayers for Ghami and Ayodele were held at a mosque in London on Sunday, attended by family members and loved ones.

On Sunday morning, Joshua shared an emotional post on Instagram, uploading two images that showed him seated beside his mother and relatives of the deceased. The photographs included the grieving mothers of Ghami and Ayodele, one of whom was holding a framed photo of her son. Joshua accompanied the post with a brief but powerful caption: “My Brother’s Keeper.”

Meanwhile, legal proceedings are underway in Nigeria. The driver of the SUV, identified as 46-year-old Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, appeared before the Sagamu Magistrates’ Court on Friday. According to police sources, he faces multiple charges, including causing death by dangerous driving. He was granted bail set at five million naira (£2,578) and remanded in custody pending fulfilment of bail conditions. The case is scheduled to resume on January 20.

Joshua, who was born in Watford, has strong family ties to Sagamu in Ogun State, close to the scene of the accident. A family source revealed that the boxer was travelling to the town to visit relatives for New Year celebrations when the tragic incident occurred.

The Olympic gold medallist had been spending time in Nigeria following his high-profile victory over American YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul on December 19.

Anthony Joshua Breaks Silence After Tragic Nigeria Car Crash

Source: BBC

According to local police, British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua was hurt in a traffic accident in Nigeria that also allegedly killed two other persons.

Joshua was among those transported to the hospital, according to Nigerian police, following the collision on Monday morning along the crowded Lagos–Ibadan motorway.

The 36-year-old is seen grimacing as he tries to escape the wreckage while sitting topless at the rear of a damaged car surrounded by broken glass in pictures and videos that have gone viral online.

Local media reports say Joshua was travelling in the back seat of a Lexus when it collided with a stationary truck, while a Pajero vehicle was also involved in the incident.

An eyewitness, Adeniyi Orojo, told Nigerian newspaper The Punch that four people were inside the Lexus at the time of the crash, with Joshua seated behind the driver. His security detail was said to be travelling in a separate vehicle behind them.

The Ogun State Police Command later confirmed that two people died in the accident, while Joshua and other injured victims were taken to an undisclosed hospital for treatment.

Anthony Joshua was involved in a car accident today that resulted in the d3@ths of two people pic.twitter.com/Nig0d7ThqM

— Dami’ Adenuga (@DAMIADENUGA) December 29, 2025

Police say Joshua sustained minor injuries and is in stable condition. Joshua, a former unified world heavyweight champion, has strong family ties to Sagamu in Ogun State and was in Nigeria at the time of the incident.

Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing.