Joshua Pays His Respects For Crash Victims

Originally posted on BoxingNews.com | Last updated Jan 5, 2026 1:47 AM ET

Anthony Joshua returned to the United Kingdom to lay to rest his longtime friends and team members, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, following a car accident in Nigeria on December 29, 2025.

The tragedy occurred just over a week after Joshua’s sixth-round knockout of Jake Paul in Miami on December 19. While Joshua escaped with only minor physical injuries, the deep emotional impact of losing two “pillars of his journey” has led to uncertainty regarding his future.

On Sunday, January 4, 2026, services were held at a London mosque for Ghami, his strength and conditioning coach of over a decade, and Ayodele, his close friend and personal trainer. Joshua posted the following photo of himself with his mother and the victims’ families, captioned with a simple, powerful tribute: “My Brothers Keeper.”

The Fallout

Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, the driver during the accident, was charged with four counts. This included causing death by dangerous driving, driving without a valid national license, and reckless and negligent driving. Kayode pleaded not guilty and was granted bail of five million naira (approx. $3,500). The driver’s attorney has since then spoken out, as Joshua’s focus will now be in matters outside of boxing.

“My client has pleaded not guilty and what happened was an accident, I haven’t had a full chance to speak with him yet but I know he is saying the brakes did not work. “I also understand that the journey started in Lagos and that initially Anthony had got into the front seat but the driver asked him to swap seats. He did this because Anthony is a big fellow and he couldn’t see the wing mirror properly so he asked him to move and he sat behind the driver. From what I understand Latif was in front and then changed seats with Anthony,” Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode (the Ogun State Police Command)

This article first appeared on BoxingNews.com and was syndicated with permission.

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