Anthony Joshua Recalls Losing Two Close Friends in Fatal Lagos Car Crash

Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has opened up about the heartbreaking deaths of two close friends in a car crash during an emotional chat with UFC star Kamaru Usman.

The conversation, shared in a YouTube video by Usman on Wednesday, took place while Joshua was recovering from injuries sustained in the accident, ahead of an MMA event in Lagos on December 30.

Joshua survived a crash on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway on December 29 that claimed the lives of Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele. He was pulled from the wreckage and treated at Duchess International Hospital.

In the video, Joshua is seen lying in a hospital treatment room with bandages on his head and torso as he spoke candidly to Usman about the tragedy. He admitted the loss had not fully sunk in. After his discharge, Joshua returned to the United Kingdom.

When Usman asked if Ghami and Ayodele had been seated in the front of the black Lexus during the crash, Joshua responded, “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.”

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

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

Usman replied, “I know. It’s a funny way of how things move, you know? We thank God.”

“You scared the world. It’s crazy because, obviously, we deal with the haters and all the bull**** 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.