‘Life Is Short’ – Anthony Joshua Opens Up On Friends’ Death In Lagos Accident

Former world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, has emotionally recounted the tragic loss of two of his close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, who died in a fatal car crash along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.

Naija News reports that Joshua made the disclosure during a conversation with former UFC welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman, in a video shared on Usman’s YouTube channel on Wednesday.

The discussion took place while Joshua was still receiving medical care after sustaining injuries in the accident, and shortly before an MMA event held in Lagos on December 30.

Joshua survived the crash, which occurred on December 29, and was pulled from the wreckage before being rushed to Duchess International Hospital, where he underwent treatment.

Footage from the video showed the boxer lying in a treatment room, with bandages wrapped around his head and torso, as he spoke candidly about the tragedy.

During the conversation, Usman asked Joshua about the seating arrangement in the black Lexus at the time of the accident.

Responding, the British-Nigerian boxer said one of the victims was seated in front, while the other sat behind him.

“One was in the front and one was behind him, on the right side. They both passed away. It still hasn’t sunk in. It still hasn’t hit me yet,” Joshua said.

Usman, visibly shaken by the revelation, expressed sympathy and noted the global concern that followed news of the accident.

“I’m sorry for that, man. You scared the world, I’ll tell you that right now,” Usman said.

Reflecting on the fragility of life, Joshua admitted that the incident had left him deeply contemplative.

“Life is short, man. Life is short. And now look, I get to speak with you for the first time,” he said.

Usman responded by acknowledging the unpredictable nature of life. “I know. It’s a funny way of how things move, you know? We thank God,” he said.

He added that the incident brought renewed attention to Joshua’s global influence.

“You scared the world. It’s crazy because, obviously, we deal with the haters and all the bullies every time, and it sucks that it takes something serious like this to really see how many people have their eyes on you,” Usman added.

After being discharged from the hospital, Joshua has since returned to the United Kingdom to continue his recovery.

Joshua had earlier broken his silence on Sunday with a post across his social media platforms.

The boxer shared a photograph of himself standing with the families of the deceased, showing solidarity and support.

He captioned the image, “My Brother’s Keeper.”