Anthony Joshua has spoken out for the first time since a devastating car crash in Nigeria left him with minor injuries and claimed the lives of two close friends and long-time team members.
The former world heavyweight champion had been on holiday in his ancestral homeland following his knockout victory over Jake Paul in Miami.
But the trip turned tragic when the vehicle carrying Joshua and his entourage slammed into a stationary truck along a major road near Lagos.
Two team members dead after highway collision
The crash, which occurred on the busy Lagos-Ibadan expressway, killed strength and conditioning coach Sina Ghami and trainer Latif Ayodele, better known as Latz, per the Guardian.
Joshua, 36, was in the vehicle at the time of the crash and suffered minor injuries. He was taken to what officials described as “an undisclosed hospital” and was later discharged on Wednesday.
The British fighter, who has strong family roots in Sagamu, Ogun State, has since returned to the UK ahead of the funerals.
Police confirmed to the BBC that Joshua was “fine” following the incident, which has made headlines in both Nigeria and the UK.
Eyewitnesses told Nigerian outlet The Punch that Joshua was sitting behind the driver, with another individual next to him, while his security detail followed in a separate car.
Joshua’s first public response: “My Brothers Keeper”
On Sunday, Joshua posted two photos to Instagram.
One image showed him sitting beside his mother and three other women, one of whom held a framed picture of Ghami, with his two late friends tagged in the post. He captioned the post with just three words: “My Brothers Keeper”.
The emotional tribute came just days after police in Ogun State confirmed that the driver of the vehicle, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, had been charged in connection with the crash.
The case was brought before the Sagamu magistrates' court.
Joshua, who was born in Watford to Nigerian parents, had been visiting his ancestral hometown when tragedy struck.
It followed the events of his successful fight against Jake Paul in Miami in December.
As reported by Sky News, the funerals of the two men will take place at a London mosque today.
Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.