Former world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua has spoken emotionally about the deaths of two of his close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, who were killed in a fatal car crash along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.
Joshua shared his experience during a conversation with former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, in a YouTube video posted by Usman on Wednesday. The discussion took place while Joshua was recovering from injuries sustained in the crash and ahead of an MMA event held in Lagos on December 30.
The accident occurred on December 29, when the vehicle Joshua and his friends were travelling in was involved in a crash that claimed the lives of Ghami and Ayodele. Joshua survived the incident and was pulled from the wreckage before being rushed to Duchess International Hospital, where he received medical treatment.
Footage from the video showed Joshua lying in a treatment room with bandages around his head and torso as he reflected on the tragedy. He admitted that the reality of losing his friends had not yet fully set in.
“It still hasn’t sunk in. It still hasn’t hit me yet,” Joshua said while responding to Usman’s question about where the victims were seated in the vehicle. “One was in the front and one was behind him, on the right side. They both passed away.”
Usman expressed his concern and sympathy, telling Joshua, “I’m sorry for that, man. You scared the world.”
Reflecting on the incident, Joshua said, “Life is short, man. Life is short. And now look, I get to speak with you for the first time.”
Usman responded, “It’s a funny way of how things move. We thank God.”
Usman also noted the global reaction to the accident, saying the incident highlighted the level of attention and concern Joshua commands worldwide.
Following his discharge from hospital, Joshua has since returned to the United Kingdom.
Earlier, Joshua broke his silence on social media by sharing a photograph of himself standing with the families of the deceased. He captioned the post, “My Brother’s Keeper,” in a show of solidarity and support for the bereaved families.
