A member of Anthony Joshua’s family has revealed that the former heavyweight champion is set to retire from boxing, following the tragic car accident that claimed the lives of two of his close friends.
Joshua was involved in a fatal crash in Nigeria last Monday after the vehicle he was traveling in collided with a stationary truck on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway in Makun. While the 36-year-old boxer escaped with only minor injuries, his close friends and team members, Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele, lost their lives at the scene.
The pair were laid to rest at a London mosque on Sunday, January 4, with Joshua in attendance to pay his final respects.
Speaking about the decision, a family member, Adedamola, explained the emotional toll boxing has taken on those close to Joshua.
“Each time he’s knocked down, it feels like our hearts are coming out of our chests. All the emotions whenever he fights—it’s too much trauma for us,” he said. “Now that he has said he’s leaving while the ovation is highest, we are happy.”
When asked if Joshua had personally communicated his retirement decision to the family, Adedamola confirmed: “Yes.”
Before the tragic incident, Joshua had recently defeated Jake Paul in Miami, Florida, and there were strong rumours of a major all-British showdown with Tyson Fury in 2026.
Anthony Joshua boasts an impressive professional record, having won 28 of his 33 fights, with just four defeats in his career.
