Former world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua has given his first unofficial comments about the devastating car crash that claimed the lives of two of his close friends, describing the experience as one that has yet to fully sink in.
Joshua made the emotional remarks during a conversation with former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. The video of the exchange, which was recorded while Joshua was still receiving treatment for injuries sustained in the accident, was posted by Kamaru on his YouTube channel. The discussion came ahead of a mixed martial arts event held in Lagos on December 30.
Metro Punch reported that the tragic accident occurred on December 29 along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway. While Joshua survived, his friends, Sina Ghami and Kevin Latif Ayodele, lost their lives in the incident. The boxer was rescued from the damaged vehicle and taken to Duchess International Hospital, where he underwent medical care.
In the video, Joshua is seen lying on a hospital bed, with bandages around his head and upper body, as he reflects on the tragedy. He admitted that the weight of the loss had not yet fully dawned on him.
During the conversation, Joshua said of his late friends, “One was in the front, and one was behind him, on the right side. They both passed away. It still hasn’t sunk in. It still hasn’t hit me yet.”
Expressing concern, Usman replied, “I’m sorry for that, man. You scared the world, I’ll tell you that right now.”
Reflecting on the fragility of life, Joshua said, “Life is short, man. Life is short. And now look, I get to speak with you for the first time.”
Usman added, “I know. It’s a funny way of how things move, you know? We thank God.”
He further noted the overwhelming public reaction to the incident, saying, “You scared the world. It’s crazy because, obviously, we deal with the haters and all the bull**** every time, and it sucks that it takes something serious like this to really see how many people have their eyes on you.”
After being discharged from the hospital, Joshua returned to the United Kingdom and in his first social media post after the accident, Joshua shared a photograph of himself alongside members of the families who lost their loved ones.
He captioned the post, “My Brother’s Keeper.”
The image showed Joshua standing with the grieving families, offering support and solidarity in the aftermath of the tragic loss.
