What should have been a quiet holiday homecoming has turned into a devastating tragedy for Anthony Joshua, raising serious questions about his boxing future.
Anthony Joshua was in Nigeria to spend the New Year with his family when disaster struck.
Sagamu, a town of personal significance to the boxer, is close to Ikenne, where Anthony Joshua attended boarding school.
For them the area represented connection, roots and peace. This now becomes the backdrop to one of the darkest moments of his life.
Also read: Photos: Two including Anthony Joshua killed in road accident on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
The British-Nigerian two-time unified world heavyweight champion was involved in a fatal road accident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway near Sagamu in Ogun State.
The Lexus SUV carrying Anthony Joshua and his four-member team members collided with a stationary truck on the notoriously dangerous highway, killing two of his close aides.
Also read: What to know about Anthony Joshua road accident victim Sina 'Evolve' Ghaemi
Lateef “Latz” Ayodele and Sina “Evolve” Ghaemi, both aged 36, died at the scene. Anthony Joshua suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital, where he remains in stable condition under observation.
Also read: Tinubu expresses condolences to Anthony Joshua after fatal Ogun road accident
A devastating loss beyond boxing
The emotional weight of the tragedy is immeasurable. Ghaemi was not just a team member, but Joshua's longtime strength and conditioning coach, a constant presence throughout fight camps and was recently with his team in Miami following Joshua's high-profile win over YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.
Ayodele, affectionately known as “Healthy Mindset”, was Joshua's personal trainer, deeply involved in his conditioning and preparation for major bouts.
Joshua's promoter Matchroom Boxing confirmed the deaths in a statement, “With deep sadness, it is confirmed that two close friends and team members, Sina Ghaemi and Lateef Ayodele, have tragically passed away.”
“Anthony sustained injuries in the accident and was taken to the hospital for evaluation and treatment. He is in stable condition and will remain under observation.”
From celebration to disaster
Time makes the tragedy even more disturbing. Joshua had just returned to the ring after more than a year away, defeating Jake Paul in Miami in a bout that reportedly earned him around £70 million.
The win has reinvigorated his career plans, with there being talk of a possible fight in Saudi Arabia in February and a long-awaited clash with Tyson Fury later in 2026.
Tributes are pouring in
Social media has been flooded with tributes for both Ghaemi and Ayodele. Ayodele, which operated primarily from Dubai, had worked with a number of high-profile athletes and celebrities, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and David Beckham. Former New Zealand rugby star Sonny Bill Williams was among those who paid tribute.
For now, boxing seems secondary
Joshua has lost, first and foremost, two friends – people he trusted, with whom he worked daily and with whom he shared victories. The psychological impact of such loss, especially after a violent accident, is impossible to measure.
Questions are hanging over his career
At 36, Joshua stands at a crossroads, even without tragedy. He has already achieved world titles, global fame and extraordinary wealth. Now, after surviving an accident that took the lives of two people close to him, the question is no longer just about form, fitness or the opponents.
For now, the priority should be Joshua's health and support for the families of Sina Ghaemi and Lateef Ayodele. Any discussion about future matches seems premature.
Yet the long-term question remains inevitable: After such a horrific ordeal, can Anthony Joshua ever be expected to step into a professional boxing ring – or has the curtain quietly fallen on one of heavyweight boxing's most defining careers?
