Anthony Joshua, a British professional boxer and former two-time heavyweight champion, finally made his first public statement after surviving a devastating vehicular accident that claimed the lives of two of his closest friends in Nigeria on 29 December 2025. Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, who were also members of his training team, did not survive the crash that occurred while they were on vacation.
Now back in the United Kingdom, the 36-year-old boxer has broken his silence by updating his social media. On Sunday, 4 January 2026, he uploaded two photos—one showing him surrounded by family, including his mother, and another with the grieving relatives of his fallen friends—accompanied by the powerful, three-word caption, 'My Brothers Keeper.'
Anthony Joshua's First Update Since the Tragedy
While the identities of all the women pictured with Joshua were not named, his mother, Yeta Odusanya, was clearly present by his side. Another woman in the group was seen holding a framed portrait of Sina Ghami, leading people to believe that some of them are family members of his fallen friends.
Holiday Tragedy on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
Joshua flew to Nigeria to spend the holidays with his family, as he is known to be a Nigerian-British. On the 29th of December, he and his friends were on their way to his ancestral home to celebrate the New Year. Aboard a black Lexus SUV, they were travelling along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, one of the major roads in southwestern Nigeria, when they got involved in a high-speed collision.
According to the country's Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), initial investigations revealed the vehicle's tyre burst during an overtaking manoeuvre, causing the driver to lose control and slam into a stationary truck that was parked on the shoulder of the road. But then again, the agency confirmed that overspeeding contributed to the accident.
'In the course of that, the front tyre on the passenger side burst,' TRACE's spokesman Babatunde Akinbiyi, told AFP. 'That led to loss of control before the vehicle now swerved and rammed into the stationary truck that was parked. There was excessive speed.'
Driver Charged Over Fatal Crash
In the latest update, it was reported that 46-year-old Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, the driver of the vehicle during the car accident, had been charged on Friday. Following his court appearance, the case was adjourned, and a trial date has been set for 20 January 2026.
Kayode is facing serious legal repercussions after the Nigerian authorities charged him with several counts, including dangerous driving resulting in death and operating a vehicle without a valid driver's license. The driver was granted bail set at £2,500 (₦5 million) but will remain in custody until the money is paid and all conditions are met, as per BBC News.
Meanwhile, Anthony Joshua was present at the wake of Latz and Sina. He was also able to attend their funeral, which took place at the London Central Mosque this weekend. Hundreds of supporters also showed up to pay their last respects to the two men.
