Anthony Joshua has spoken publicly for the first time since the car accident in Nigeria that killed two of his closest friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, in December. The former world heavyweight champion, who was injured in the crash, said his primary focus has been on supporting the parents of the deceased. “I’m just there for their parents. Number one is being a good soldier for them. Gotta look after the boys’ parents,” he told the media in London.
Joshua, 35, stressed that he has put his own emotions aside to prioritise the families. “Everyone’s different. Me, I have to put my emotions to the side because I focus on the parents. My emotions can come at a later stage. I really look at the parents and I understand it must be most difficult for them. So I don’t make it about me, I make it about them,” he said.
The boxer is set to return to the ring on 25 July in Saudi Arabia for a tune-up bout against Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga, ahead of a potential fight with Tyson Fury in November. Prenga, who attended the media event, acknowledged the tragedy’s impact, saying: “I feel sorry for him and his team but I think it’s definitely going to affect him.”
Joshua also spoke about his new friendship with Oleksandr Usyk, the world heavyweight champion who has beaten him twice. “We’ve had our time, we’ve had our fights. So there’s a level of respect there and understanding that you just want to help each other. What I’ve learned from him is surround yourself with people who are experienced,” Joshua said, praising Usyk’s long-standing team.
When asked about Fury’s comments regarding Joshua’s knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, Joshua responded bluntly: “We could all talk about what Usyk has done to [Fury]. We can talk about loads of comparisons, but for him to talk about Dubois’s success and use it as his own shows me that he’s a dick rider.”
