Anthony Joshua made an emotional return to social media on Thursday evening, breaking his silence to express gratitude for public support following the deaths of two close friends in a tragic car accident.
The former heavyweight champion paid tribute to Sina Ghami and Latif 'Latz' Ayodele, who were killed in a road collision near Lagos, Nigeria in December.
Both men had been part of Joshua's life since childhood, with Ghami serving as his long-time strength and conditioning coach while Ayodele worked as his personal trainer.
The boxer had maintained a low profile since the tragedy, which occurred while the trio were spending time together in Nigeria following Joshua's victory over Jake Paul in Miami.
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Taking so social media, Joshua said: "The last time I spoke to you guys was in Miami, we had so many plans to wrap up 2025. We went home, to see our families and everything go flipped on it's head.
"That was such an unforeseen circumstance that was out of all of our control. And not only did their parents, their uncles, their cousins, their friends and myself, lose two great men. We lost people that we really care about have been major players in all of our lives, major, major players in all of our lives. It's tough. It's really tough.
"I'm not gonna sit here and show all of my emotions. I know in today's day and age, it's easy to analyse people, pass judgment, but I know what I thought, and I know how I feel.
"I know what my duty is. They were my brothers, my friends, first and foremost. Then we became business partners, we became hustlers, we became generals, we became everything. We became housemates, who were living together."
Anthony Joshua made an emotional return to social media
|He added: "You know, I've lost people before, but I don't think I've lost people throughout this journey that I've been on. It's like you think I'm the big guy but I was walking with giants. Protected.
"My goal is to help their families and to help them achieve their goals, even though they may not be here in the physical. I will be saying my prayers, and I'm going to help them fulfill their dreams for their families. It's not only me, though, helping. There's a whole team working on that stuff."
According to local reports, the boxer's vehicle collided with a stationary heavy goods truck during the early morning hours on a major road outside Lagos.
The news sent shockwaves through the boxing world, where both men were widely known and respected figures.
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Anthony Joshua narrowly avoided death in the fatal Nigeria car crash after switching seats moments before the crash | REUTERSGhami had spent years working alongside Joshua as his strength coach and sports rehabilitation specialist, while Ayodele had remained a constant presence in the fighter's inner circle before becoming his personal trainer.
Their bodies were repatriated to the UK, where a joint funeral service took place at a London mosque on January 4.
Joshua, his mother, family members, friends and figures from across boxing gathered to pay their respects.
Following the funeral, Joshua shared a moving photograph on Instagram showing himself seated with his mother and the families of both men, holding a framed picture of Ghami.
He captioned the image: "My Brothers Keeper."
The boxer has since resumed training, posting gym footage in mid-January featuring shadowboxing, cycling and swimming sessions, which he described as "mental strength therapy."
His promoter Eddie Hearn addressed Joshua's uncertain future in the ring.
He said: "It's a painful time for him, no doubt, as it is for many people close to Sina and Latz. But his love for boxing will always make him want to return to the ring. There could be a case of him wanting to fight on in their honour. Whether that happens, we'll see. That will come from Anthony when the time is right."
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