In a whirlwind few weeks, former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua went from global sporting triumph to personal tragedy. On December 19, 2025, Joshua returned to the ring with a resounding sixth-round knockout victory over YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in a widely publicized Netflix boxing event. But just ten days later, while in Nigeria, he survived a fatal car crash that claimed the lives of two of his closest friends and trainers — Sina Ghami and Kevin “Latif” Ayodele.
Key Facts & Timeline:
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December 19, 2025:
Joshua knocks out Jake Paul in a highly anticipated crossover boxing match in Miami. The event dominates headlines and garners major global viewership through Netflix. Paul sustains a double jaw fracture. Joshua, revitalized, hints at a 2026 fight with Tyson Fury. -
December 29, 2025:
Joshua, vacationing in Nigeria, is involved in a car accident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The SUV, reportedly speeding and attempting to overtake another vehicle, crashes into a parked truck. Joshua suffers minor injuries. Ghami and Ayodele die on the scene. -
December 30–31, 2025:
Videos and eyewitness accounts flood the media. Nigerian officials confirm speeding and dangerous driving. Public outcry grows around Nigeria’s infrastructure failures and road safety. Prominent Nigerian figures and athletes offer condolences. -
January 1, 2026:
Joshua is discharged from hospital. He visits a funeral home to pay final respects to his deceased team members. His emotional state and visible distress dominate global news cycles. -
January 2, 2026:
Nigerian police formally charge the SUV driver with causing death by dangerous driving and driving without a license. This development fuels debates about road safety and legal accountability in Nigeria.
In the span of 10 days, British-Nigerian heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua experienced the highest high and the lowest low of his recent career. On Dec. 19, 2025, Joshua knocked out Jake Paul in the sixth round of a blockbuster Netflix-streamed fight in Miami, silencing skeptics and rekindling hope for a long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury. Less than two weeks later, a fatal car crash on one of Nigeria’s most notorious highways left two of Joshua’s closest friends dead and the former world champion hospitalized.
The crash occurred Dec. 29 on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Nigeria’s Ogun State. Joshua, 36, was riding in a Lexus SUV when it collided with a stationary truck. According to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the driver attempted an overtaking maneuver at high speed when the vehicle lost control. The impact killed two passengers: Joshua’s personal trainer, Kevin “Latif” Ayodele, and strength coach Sina Ghami. Joshua was treated for minor injuries.
Witnesses at the scene reported a harrowing aftermath, with footage later surfacing online showing Joshua, dazed and in pain, being pulled from the wreckage. The boxer had been vacationing in Nigeria following his Miami victory.
“We had just celebrated a major win, and now this,” said a member of Joshua’s team, who asked not to be named. “These were his brothers.”
Ayodele and Ghami were long-time fixtures in Joshua’s corner. Both had flown to Nigeria with him for a short break after the fight, which drew massive international attention. Paul, a YouTube personality-turned-boxer, had promoted the bout as the ultimate crossover contest. Despite Paul’s confident predictions, Joshua overwhelmed him with a powerful knockout.
Paul sustained a double jaw fracture and required surgery. The event was a major win for Joshua, who had spent the previous year away from boxing following a loss to Daniel Dubois in 2024. The win reestablished Joshua as a contender and sparked renewed speculation of a 2026 bout with Fury.
That momentum was cut short by the accident.
In the days following the crash, tributes poured in from across the boxing and sports world. Former opponents and fellow fighters, including Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, expressed condolences. Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu and several state governors visited Joshua at Lagos University Teaching Hospital. The British High Commission also issued a statement of support.
On Jan. 1, Joshua was discharged from the hospital. He was seen visiting a Lagos funeral home with his mother to pay his respects to the deceased.
“I feel pain all over,” Joshua told reporters. “But the pain of losing them is far greater than any injury.”
The story took another turn on Jan. 2 when Ogun State police announced that the driver of the SUV had been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and operating without a license. The 46-year-old man, whose name has not been released, remains in custody.
The crash has reignited criticism of Nigeria’s road safety infrastructure. The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, a major transit corridor, has long been a site of frequent and often deadly collisions. The FRSC attributed the accident to excessive speed and reckless overtaking, common factors in Nigerian traffic fatalities.
“This is not fate, it is failure,” tweeted popular Nigerian comedian Ayo Makun, known as AY. “Poor roads, lack of enforcement, and general negligence are killing our citizens.”
Joshua, who has family roots in Nigeria and often visits the country, has not commented publicly on the driver’s charges or the road conditions but has indicated he plans to honor his late friends in future endeavors.
A fundraiser organized for Ayodele’s family and community projects surpassed $180,000 within days, reflecting global sympathy and the impact both men had on Joshua’s career and personal life.
Despite the tragedy, Joshua’s team confirmed that his 2026 plans remain unchanged for now, including a potential bout in Riyadh in February. Whether the emotional toll of the accident delays or reshapes those plans remains to be seen.
“This was supposed to be a victory lap, a moment of joy,” said boxing promoter Eddie Hearn. “Instead, it’s become a time of mourning. But knowing Anthony, he will find a way to fight through this, for them.”
The juxtaposition of Joshua’s high-profile win and devastating loss has captivated the public and exposed the fragility of life for even the world’s most resilient athletes. In the ring, he remains a symbol of strength. Outside it, he now represents something deeper — the very human cost of tragedy in the midst of triumph.
