Anthony Joshua Resumes Training 19 Days After Tragic Car Crash That Killed Two Friends

Anthony Joshua has made a return to training just under three weeks after a devastating car accident that claimed the lives of two close associates.

The 36-year-old former heavyweight champion was injured in the December 29 crash on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, which killed his strength and conditioning coach, Sina Ghami, and trainer Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele.

Joshua shared a Snapchat video of himself hitting pads with the caption “mental strength therapy,” marking a step toward regaining normalcy. Additional clips showed him cycling on an exercise bike and swimming, all compiled into a short montage.

Other posts included a photo of a cardio machine display, captioned “I am a fighter,” alongside a throwback image from his 2017 fight against Wladimir Klitschko. The boxer, of Nigerian descent, had been on holiday in Nigeria following his victory over Jake Paul in Miami just 10 days before the accident.

At the time of the crash, Joshua’s driver, 47-year-old Adeniyi Kayode, did not hold a valid driver’s licence. The incident left Joshua hospitalized and led to criminal charges against Kayode.

During a recent court session, Kayode pleaded not guilty to all charges, including dangerous driving, claiming the vehicle’s brakes failed. He was granted bail but taken to Sagamu Correctional Centre for documentation.

Kayode’s lawyer, Olalekan Abiodun, said his client had recently renewed his licence and was cleared to drive pending the release of the updated document. He described the crash as an accident and explained that Joshua initially sat in the front seat but swapped places with the driver due to his size, while Latif Ayodele also moved seats before the collision occurred.