A member of Anthony Joshua’s family has claimed the former heavyweight champion is set to retire from boxing.
Joshua was involved in a fatal crash in Nigeria last Monday when his vehicle crashed into a stationary truck on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Makun.
The 36-year-old escaped with only minor injuries but his close friends and team members Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele died at the scene.
Their funerals took place at a London mosque on Sunday with Joshua present to pay his final respects. He also provided his first update since last week’s tragedy, sharing a photo on social media of him alongside the family members of his friends with the caption ‘My Brothers Keeper’.
Joshua fought just 10 days before last week’s fatal crash, knocking out Jake Paul in Miami on 19 December.
He is yet to speak out on his future in boxing with his promoter Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing providing no further comment on their fighter since an initial statement released the night of the accident.
But Joshua’s uncle Adedamola Joshua has now claimed the Briton is ready to walk away from the sport.
‘The major thing there is that he has retired from boxing. That is one thing that makes us glad because each time he’s fighting in the ring, we are always carried away emotionally,’ Adedamola told Nigerian outlet The Punch.
Who were Anthony Joshua’s friends Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami?
Throughout his time in boxing, Anthony Joshua has kept a close-knit circle of friends and associates around him, plenty of those working silently behind the scenes during his ascent to the summit of the sport.
Both Ghami and Ayodele were part of that group, considered good friends having worked closely with him for years.
Who is Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele?
‘Latz’ is a long-time friend of Joshua’s and has been part of the AJ team going all the way back to his maiden world title victory over Charles Martin in 2016.
Ayodele was Joshua’s personal trainer and a dedicated Muslim having converted to Isam in 2012.
His Instagram feed is littered with images and videos of him alongside Joshua in the gym and relaxing away from it.
Just hours before the crash, he shared a video on Instagram of him and Joshua smiling and laughing over a game of table tennis.
Latif worked with a number of other prominent sports men and women with New Zealand rugby legend Sonny Bill Williams among those paying tribute.
According to his Facebook profile, he attended St Joan of Arc Catholic School in Rickmansworth, a few miles from Joshua’s hometown of Watford.
Who is Sina Ghami?
Ghami was Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach, a role he held for more than a decade.
He was also the co-founder of Evolve Gym in London. Their website states Ghami was a qualified sports and exercise rehabilitator who specialises in musculoskeletal injuries and corrective exercise.
Ghami was at Joshua’s side throughout his career, including his crowning moment against Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium in 2017.
His last Instagram story appeared to be a shot of Joshua’s motorcade through Lagos.
‘Each time he’s knocked down, it is just like the heart is coming out of our chest. All these emotional feelings whenever he’s fighting, it’s too much trauma for us, also.
‘Now that he has said that he’s leaving while the ovation is highest, we are happy.’
Asked by the publication if Joshua has communicated that decision to the family, Adedamola responded: ‘Yes’.
Metro have contacted Joshua’s representatives and his promoter Matchroom Boxing for further comment.
Ayodele and Joshua were at Joshua’s side throughout his rise to the summit of boxing. Ghami was Joshua’s full-time sport and exercise rehabilitation coach with Ayodele, his friend from before his boxing journey began, a personal trainer.
Before last week’s tragic events, Joshua had teased the possibility of a long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury.
A battle between the British giants has been long-discussed, falling by the wayside on a number of occasions for various different reasons over the last five years.
Fury’s promoter Frank Warren recently suggested any fight between the two is unlikely to take place until late 2026, also questioning whether Joshua will ever box again.
‘There’s obviously a lot bigger things going on than boxing with two people losing their lives,’ Warren said.
‘I can’t see that fight [with AJ] happening now, certainly not until very late in the New Year.’
