Anthony Joshua’s uncle has revealed that the ex-world champion has indicated to his family his intention to retire after a tragic car accident that claimed the lives of two close friends.
The former two-time heavyweight champion was a passenger in a Lexus SUV involved in a fatal collision with a truck on a major expressway near Lagos, Nigeria. The accident resulted in the deaths of Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele, with their funerals held at a London mosque.
Prior to attending the funerals, ‘AJ’ shared photos on Instagram showing him with his mother and three women, one of whom held a picture of Ghami, captioning the post ‘My Brothers Keeper.’
Following the incident, Joshua is reportedly contemplating retirement, with his family being informed of his decision privately. His uncle expressed relief at the prospect of Joshua stepping away from boxing, citing emotional stress during his matches.
While reports from Nigeria suggest Joshua’s retirement, Mirror Fighting understands that he has yet to finalize his future plans.
The driver involved in the crash, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, has been charged with various offenses related to the accident. Joshua, after receiving hospital treatment, returned to the UK, where eyewitnesses described his shock at the severity of the crash.
Reports indicated that Joshua narrowly avoided a more serious outcome by switching seats in the vehicle before the accident. The boxing community was left in disbelief as plans for a future fight between Joshua and Fury now hang in the balance following the tragic events.
Frank Warren, a boxing promoter, acknowledged the emotional toll on Joshua and uncertainty surrounding his return to the sport. Despite his recent setbacks, Joshua’s career has been marked by significant victories and setbacks, culminating in a recent defeat that may have influenced his retirement decision.