British heavyweight boxing star Anthony Joshua has been discharged from a hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, following a devastating car crash that claimed the lives of two of his close friends and team members.
Details of the Fatal Incident
The collision occurred on Monday 29 December on the busy Lagos-Ibadan expressway. The vehicle carrying Joshua struck a stationary truck. While the former two-time world heavyweight champion sustained only minor injuries, the accident proved fatal for two other passengers.
They have been identified as Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele, Joshua's personal trainer, and Sina Ghami, his strength and conditioning coach. Both men were long-term friends of the boxer.
Lagos state commissioner for information, Gbenga Omotoso, confirmed Joshua's release on Wednesday 31 December. In a statement posted on X, Omotoso said the boxer was “deemed clinically fit to recuperate from home.”
Aftermath and Tributes
Authorities also revealed that Joshua and his mother visited a funeral home in Lagos to pay their final respects before the bodies of Ayodele and Ghami were repatriated.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the boxing community. Rival heavyweight Tyson Fury posted on Instagram: "This is so sad. May god give them a good bed in heaven."
Former opponent Wladimir Klitschko expressed his sympathies on X, calling Joshua a “true class act” and wishing him and the families of the victims the best. Other British fighters, including Chris Eubank Jr and Shannon Courtenay, also shared heartfelt tributes online.
Broader Concerns and Police Investigation
The high-profile crash has ignited fresh concerns over road safety in Nigeria. Official data from the Federal Road Safety Corps shows 5,421 deaths were recorded in 9,570 road accidents in 2024 alone.
Experts frequently cite poor infrastructure, lax traffic law enforcement, and driver error as key factors in the country's high road fatality rate.
In a new development, police have launched a hunt for a man linked to the crash. While details remain scarce, the investigation into the exact circumstances of the collision continues.
