Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has returned to training following the tragic car accident in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two of his closest friends.
The crash, which happened near Lagos on December 29, left Joshua with minor injuries but killed his long-time teammates Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele. The boxer was seen in visible pain as he climbed out of the damaged vehicle on the day of the accident.
Tributes have poured in from across the boxing world for Ghami, who served as Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach, and Ayodele, who worked as a trainer. Joshua himself shared an emotional message on social media in their memory.
Now, the 36-year-old has taken his first steps back into the gym as part of his recovery process. In videos posted on Snapchat, Joshua can be seen hitting pads, doing conditioning drills and riding a stationary bike. One of the clips was captioned with the phrase: “Mental strength therapy.”
Born in Watford to Nigerian parents, Joshua had been in Nigeria on holiday after defeating Jake Paul in Miami just ten days before the crash.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has urged caution over any quick return to the ring, saying Joshua needs time to heal in every sense.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Hearn said: “He will need time physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually before making any decision about his future. I do think he will want
