British-Nigerian boxing star Anthony Joshua has pledged to provide lifelong support to the families of two of his close friends who tragically lost their lives in a car accident in Nigeria.
The former heavyweight world champion expressed deep grief over the incident and vowed to be a “good soldier” for the grieving parents by standing firmly by them during this difficult time.
The fatal road crash claimed the lives of Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, who were both long-term friends of Joshua and key members of his management team. Notably, Joshua himself survived the same accident.
Speaking ahead of his upcoming heavyweight bout against Albanian boxer Kristian Prenga, scheduled for July 25, 2026, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Joshua stated that he has set his personal pain aside to focus entirely on the welfare of the victims’ families.
The boxing star promised to do everything within his power to support the parents both financially and emotionally.
“I have to put my emotions to the side because I focus on the parents, if I’m honest. My emotions can come later. I really look at the parents and understand it’s been most difficult for them. So, I don’t make it about me, I make it about them, the mums and the dads of my two friends.”
He added that everyone handles loss differently, but choosing to serve the parents was his way of coping with the tragedy.
“I’m just there for their parents. It’s about being a good soldier for them because I’ve got to look after them. This is my purpose. Boxing is not only good for the competitive side of things, but it’s also quite therapeutic; it gives us fighters a lot of purpose, and that’s what it does for me.”
