Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is in hospital in Lagos after a car crash in Nigeria that killed two of his close associates. Sina Ghami, his strength and conditioning coach, and Latif Ayodele, his personal trainer, died in the accident on Monday morning on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway near Makun. Joshua's management said he is in a stable condition.
Tyson Fury, who had been expected to come out of retirement to fight Joshua next year, posted a tribute on social media: 'This is so sad. May God give them a good bed in heaven.' Oleksandr Usyk, the WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight champion, described the deaths as 'an unbelievable loss' and urged Joshua to 'stay strong, champion'.
Jake Paul, who lost to Joshua in a fight watched by 33 million people two weeks ago, also offered condolences. 'Life is much more important than boxing. I am praying for the lost lives, AJ, and anyone impacted by today’s unfortunate accident,' he wrote.
Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said he had visited Joshua and his mother at the Duchess International Hospital, wishing him a full recovery. The Federal Road Safety Corps reported that the Lexus car was suspected of travelling beyond the speed limit, lost control during an overtaking manoeuvre and crashed into a stationary truck. Police commander Babatunde Akinbiyi said a tyre burst due to excessive speed caused the driver to lose control.
Ogun state officials said Joshua had 'narrowly escaped death', though he did not require emergency medical intervention at the scene. Joshua, born in Watford to Nigerian parents, had worked with Ayodele and Ghami since the start of his career.
