Former two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua posted a video on his social media platforms where he addressed the fatal car crash in Nigeria and emotionally eulogized his two deceased friends.
As previously reported by Face2Face Africa, Joshua, 36, was riding in a Lexus SUV with his close friends Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele on an expressway in Ogun State, Nigeria, on December 29 when the vehicle collided with a stationary truck. Joshua, who was born to Nigerian parents in England, got injured. But Ghami and Ayodele did not survive.
Joshua, in the six-minute video, said that he was sharing a short message from the heart,” BBC reported. The British-Nigerian fan expressed his gratitude to his fans “who were showing so much love, support through that tragic, traumatic time.”
“One day my time will come and I’m not scared either at all,” Joshua also said. “It’s actually comforting knowing I got two brothers on the other side. I’ve lost people before, but I don’t think I’ve lost people like that. My left and my right.”
Besides being close friends, Ghami and Ayodele were also members of Joshua’s team. Ghami had been working for Joshua on a full-time basis for over ten years, BBC reported. He worked as Joshua’s sport and exercise rehabilitation coach. Ayodele, on the other hand, was Joshua’s personal trainer.
In the video, Joshua said that their relationship transcended, as they became close. He also said that they were even staying together.
“We became business partners. We became hustlers. We became lieutenants. We became generals. We became everything,” he said.
The individual, who was driving the trio at the time of the crash, 46-year-old Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, has since been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care, and driving without a valid driver’s licence.
“Not only did their parents, their uncles, their cousins, their friends and myself lose two great men, we lost people that we dearly care about and have been major players in all of our lives,” Joshua said.
“It’s tough. It’s really tough,” he admitted.
Joshua also said that he was committed to being there for Ghami and Ayodele’s families. He said he will help the grieving families to “achieve their goals” and “fulfill their dreams,” BBC reported.
Joshua returned to training a few weeks back and took to social media to share a video of his activities in the gym.
“Mental strength therapy,” Joshua wrote in the Snapchat video.
Following the car crash, rumors swirled about Joshua hanging up his gloves. But the former two-time world heavyweight champion has yet to talk about what he plans to do next.
Despite those rumors, British sports promoter Eddie Hearn recently stated that it was likely Joshua would return to the ring.
