Anthony Joshua survives Nigeria car crash that kills two close friends and team members

Anthony Joshua was traveling along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in Nigeria on Monday morning when the Lexus SUV carrying him collided with a stationary truck. Two of his closest friends and team members—Sina Ghami, his strength and conditioning coach, and Latif Ayodele, his trainer—were killed instantly in the crash. Joshua, who was seated behind the driver, survived the impact with injuries and was hospitalized in stable condition.

The collision occurred shortly after 11 a.m. near Makun, in Ogun State. Authorities said the vehicle was traveling beyond the legal speed limit and lost control while attempting to overtake another vehicle. Preliminary investigation suggests a tire burst when the SUV swerved to hit the truck. Images of the wreckage showed the Lexus crushed and mangled; a Mitsubishi that was part of Joshua's convoy sat undamaged nearby. Five men were in the vehicles involved. Two other occupants escaped without serious injury.

The timing made the loss particularly sharp. Just ninety minutes before the crash, Joshua had posted a video to his 18 million Instagram followers showing him playing table tennis with Ayodele. In the clip, posted at 9:30 a.m. local time, Joshua appeared relaxed and happy, captioning it with a playful reference to his friend's online persona: "@healthy_mindset dishing out table tennis smoke." Ghami had also posted that morning, sharing a photo of himself with Joshua at Lagos airport shortly after they arrived. The boxer was in Nigeria for the New Year holiday, planning to visit family in Sagamu, a town where he has roots and where he bears a tattoo of Africa on his shoulder.

Ghami and Ayodele were not casual acquaintances. Ghami, a qualified sports and exercise rehabilitator who specialized in musculoskeletal injuries, had co-founded Evolve Gym in London and was a fixture in Joshua's training camp. He was in Joshua's corner during the boxer's recent knockout victory over Jake Paul in Miami on December 19. Ayodele, who went by the name "Healthy Mindset" online and had converted to Islam, was a personal trainer whose friendship with Joshua stretched back to before the champion's professional career began. In 2015, Ayodele's first Instagram post featured Joshua celebrating his first world title win against Charles Martin. Both men had been integral to Joshua's team for years.

The Ogun State Government confirmed that the two fatalities were foreign nationals and said their remains had been taken to Livewell Morgue in Sagamu. A statement from Joshua's representatives described the deaths as "truly shocking and devastating," confirming that both men were "close friends and integral members of Anthony's team." The statement said Joshua had sustained injuries in the accident, was taken to hospital for checks and treatment, and remained in stable condition under observation.

Tributes poured in from the boxing world. Swedish champion Badou Jack, who knew Ayodele, shared photos of the pair with the caption: "Still in shock...May Allah forgive you for your shortcomings and grant you the highest level of paradise." Chris Eubank Jr. tweeted his relief that Joshua had survived and his condolences for "the two fallen soldiers Latz & Sina," describing them as "genuinely good men." Rob Madden, Joshua's former strength and conditioning coach, wrote that he was in shock, remembering "two incredible men gone far too soon" and the energy and presence they brought.

Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn said the team was trying to contact the boxer and awaiting more information. A friend told reporters that Joshua was "okay but badly shaken up." The incident casts uncertainty over Joshua's planned fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in February, and over negotiations for a potential matchup with Tyson Fury—a fight Joshua and Hearn had been pushing for as the biggest bout in British boxing history. Joshua had just earned a reported £70 million from his knockout of Jake Paul, which was viewed by more than 30 million people on Netflix. Now, with two of his closest confidants gone and his own recovery ahead, the trajectory of his career hangs in suspension.