Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Anthony Joshua, Boxing
Josh Lawless
Anthony Joshua has taken to social media to post a first statement following the tragic death of two of his close friends.
While in Nigeria, Joshua was involved in a car crash in Makun, Ogun State, on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway when a Lexus Jeep collided with a stationary truck by the side of the road.
Joshua was taken to hospital to recover from injuries he sustained but authorities confirmed that two adult males had lost their lives in the tragic accident.
They were later named as Kevin Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami, both integral members of Joshua's team and two of his closest friends.
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On Thursday afternoon, Joshua took to his official X account to share a statement - thanking fans for their love and sympathies and paying tribute to his late pals.
"Thank you for all the love and care you have shown my brothers," Joshua wrote, accompanied by a picture of Latz and Sina.
"I didn’t even realise how special they are. I’ll just be walking with them and cracking jokes with them, not even knowing God kept me in the presence of great men. 100% it’s tough for me, but I know it’s even tougher for their parents I have a strong mind, and I believe God knows their hearts. May God have mercy on my brothers."
Hours before the crash, Joshua shared a video of him playing table tennis with Latif hours while Sina, posted a picture of a jeep vehicle on the road and tagged Lagos, Nigeria, as his location.
The driver, Adeniyi Kayode, 47, has been charged with dangerous driving causing death, reckless and negligent driving and driving without a valid licence.
He denies all the charges and as per his lawyers, claims that the brakes "did not work".
Joshua is back in the UK and on Sunday, he posted a picture on Instagram where he is sat on a sofa with four other people - with one holding a framed photo of Sina.
Joshua captioned the post, "My Brothers Keeper." Last opponent Jake Paul and British rival Tyson Fury, the former world heavyweight champion, both paid tribute to Joshua's friends and offered condolences.
Sina, who co-founded the Evolve Gym, worked as Joshua' sport and exercise rehabilitation coach for more then a decade. He had reportedly gone to Nigeria on the trip with Joshua so that he wasn't alone around the festive period.
Latif knew Joshua long before he won Olympic gold and was a semi-professional footballer who worked as Joshua's strength and conditioning coach.
He was described as "an inspirational person" by his friend Mustafa Briggs.