Anthony Joshua Posts New Boxing Return Update Amid Retirement Speculation

Anthony Joshua has posted footage of himself in training for the first time since being involved in a fatal car crash that killed two of his close friends.

The 36-year-old former heavyweight champion sustained minor injuries in late December, when the Lexus SUV he was travelling in collided with a stationary truck on a major road near Lagos, Nigeria.

Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele, his close friends, sadly passed away in the crash.

Joshua travelled back to the United Kingdom after a short stay in hospital and attended the funerals of Ghami and Ayodele at a mosque in London on January 4.

Last week, he paid tribute to Ghami and Ayodele, saying he is finding it "tough" to process their deaths.

"Thank you for all the love and care you have shown my brothers. I didn't even realise how special they are," Joshua wrote on Instagram.

"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 per cent it's tough for me, but I know it's even tougher for their parents."

He added: "I have a strong mind, and I believe God knows their hearts. May God have mercy on my brothers."

Over the past month, there has been speculation as to whether Joshua will retire from boxing after the tragic incident.

Now, Joshua has posted a video on Snapchat showing him hitting pads, working out and riding a stationary bike, with the message "mental strength therapy" featuring at the bottom of one clip.

There have been no conversations over Joshua's future, according to his promoter Eddie Hearn, who was recently asked whether he expects the heavyweight fighter to take some time away from the sport.

“He will need his time physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually before he makes a decision on his future," Hearn told Sky Sports. "I do think he will want to return to boxing, but that will be his decision when the time is right.

“It is certainly not a conversation I’ll be having with him any time soon. The only conversation is ‘are you OK?’ and sometimes we find people will give that facade of being OK, but what happened to him is not normal and heartbreaking for all involved."

“When the time is right, I believe he will make his decision and you will hear it from him," added Hearn. "That is the only voice you should listen to in that respect and we’ll give him his time to make that decision and heal.”