Anthony Joshua’s Uncle Says He’s Retired

Adedamola Joshua, the uncle of heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua, told the Nigerian newspaper ‘The Punch’ that the fighter has decided to retire from boxing.

This follows a tragic car accident on December 29, 2025, in Nigeria, which Joshua survived with minor injuries but which claimed the lives of two of his closest friends and team members, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele.

The uncle expressed the family’s relief at the decision, citing the “trauma” and emotional toll they face every time Joshua enters the ring. However, this retirement remains unconfirmed by Joshua himself or his promoter, Eddie Hearn, leading to significant confusion in the boxing world. In the meantine, Adedamola had this to say.

“The major thing there is that he has retired from boxing. That is one thing that makes us glad because each time he’s fighting in the ring, we are always carried away emotionally. Each time he’s knocked down, it is just like the heart is coming out of our chest. All these emotional feelings whenever he’s fighting, it’s too much trauma for us, also,” Adedamola said

Joshua’s Legacy

Before Joshua, heavyweight boxing in the UK was of little interest; he turned it into a cultural event. He would leave the sport as a two-time Unified Heavyweight Champion, having held the WBA, IBF, and WBO titles. His 2017 clash with Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium is his biggest win. By recovering from a knockdown to stop along-reigning champion in front of 90,000 fans, he proved he had the heart to compete at the elite level.

Joshua’s resume is also impressive. He rarely took “tune-up” fights, consistently facing the most dangerous available contenders. He fought almost every major name of his generation, including Dillian Whyte, Joseph Parker, Alexander Povetkin, Andy Ruiz Jr. and Oleksandr Usyk to name a few. Taking the Oleksandr Usyk fights back-to-back when many suggested he should vacate his belts to avoid the master technician showed a commitment to “greatness.”