British heavyweight boxing star Anthony Joshua held an emotional video call with UFC legend Kamaru Usman just one day after surviving a horrific car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two of his close friends.
The Tragic Incident and Immediate Aftermath
The devastating collision occurred on December 29th on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Joshua miraculously survived the crash, but his friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, were tragically killed. The boxer was pictured being pulled from the wreckage of the black Lexus SUV, visibly in pain, before being rushed to the Duchess International Hospital in Lagos for treatment.
In a video posted to Usman's YouTube channel, taken backstage at his African Knockout Championship event on December 30th, a bandaged Joshua is seen calling from his hospital room. "Obviously, two of my close friends passed away," Joshua somberly told Usman at the start of their conversation.
Emotional Exchange Between Champions
When Usman, a former UFC welterweight champion, asked about the seating positions in the car, Joshua explained: "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."
Usman responded with sympathy, stating, "I'm sorry for that man. Hey, you scared the world, I'll tell you that right now." Joshua reflected on the fragility of life, saying, "Life is short man, life is short. And now look, I get to speak with you for the first time."
Despite his injuries and the profound loss, Joshua appeared in good spirits during the call. Usman noted the irony of the situation, pointing out how such a serious event reveals the true scale of public support, beyond the usual "haters and all the bull****".
Legal Proceedings and Funeral Arrangements
Daily Mail Sport had previously revealed that Joshua cheated death by swapping seats from the front to the back of the SUV shortly before the crash. The driver, 47-year-old Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, was charged in a Sagamu magistrate's court on Friday with dangerous driving causing death, among other offences.
Kayode's lawyer, Olalekan Abiodun, told the Daily Mail his client pleaded not guilty, suggesting a brake failure. "I also understand that the journey started in Lagos and that initially Anthony had got into the front seat but the driver asked him to swap seats," Abiodun said. Bail was set at 5 million Naira (approximately £2,580) and the trial was adjourned to January 20th.
Joshua spent New Year's Eve in hospital before flying back to the UK for the funerals of Ghami and Ayodele, which were held on January 4th. Ayodele, a personal trainer known online as 'Healthy Mindset', was a long-standing friend who had supported Joshua since before his professional career began. Ghami, a co-founder of London's Evolve Gym, was a qualified sports rehabilitator and had been in Joshua's corner for his fight with Jake Paul in Miami just days before the tragedy.
Despite the immense personal trauma, it is understood that Anthony Joshua has no current plans to retire from boxing.
