Anthony Joshua has made his first public appearance in the UK since surviving a fatal car crash in Nigeria that killed two close friends. The former two-time world heavyweight champion attended Derek Chisora's fight against Deontay Wilder at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday.
Joshua was involved in the crash on 29 December, which claimed the lives of Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele. He has kept a low profile in recent months, attending their funeral and reportedly taking time to heal, as reiterated by promoter Eddie Hearn.
Arriving in a white tracksuit alongside Hearn, Joshua appeared calm as he entered the arena. However, old rival Wilder walked past him without acknowledgement in a tight corridor inside the O2. Wilder was repeatedly linked with a world-title bout with Joshua during their peak years.
Joshua last fought before Christmas, stopping YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami. Speculation continues over a potential bout with Tyson Fury. During a ringside interview with DAZN, Joshua backed Chisora to win, though Chisora lost a narrow decision after 12 rounds.
“It's amazing to be here. Boxing, especially British boxing, is booming,” Joshua said. “I'm obviously biased, I'm rocking with Derek regardless, so I'm Team Chisora.”
