ANTHONY JOSHUA BREAKS SILENCE AFTER CRASH THAT KILLED TWO CLOSE FRIENDS

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By: Sefiu Ajape

Anthony Joshua has broken weeks of public silence, speaking on camera for the first time since a car crash that claimed the lives of two of his close friends and backroom team members.

In a video posted on his YouTube channel on Thursday, the former world heavyweight champion became emotional as he reflected on the deaths of Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami, describing them as his “brothers.”

Joshua was a passenger in an SUV that collided with a stationary truck on the Lagos–Ibadan highway in Nigeria on December 29. He sustained minor injuries in the crash, while Ayodele and Ghami died at the scene.

“I know what I have got to do,” Joshua said, speaking directly into the camera.

“I’m going to do what is right by them, do what is right by their family, and it is about what is important.”

He added that he understood what the pair had “wanted to do for their families” and said his goal “is to continue to help them achieve their goals.”

Ayodele served as Joshua’s personal trainer, while Ghami was his strength and conditioning coach.

Although Joshua offered little detail about his future in boxing, he noted that “the mission must go on.”

“It ain’t about legacy, it’s just about doing what is right, and I know I am going to do what is right by them,” he reiterated.

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The fatal accident came weeks after Joshua stopped YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami, keeping him on track for a potential clash with longtime rival Tyson Fury later this year.

Fury has since announced his return to the ring and is scheduled to face Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11, leaving the proposed all-British showdown with Joshua uncertain amid speculation that the 36-year-old could retire.

However, promoter Eddie Hearn has said Joshua would be given all the time he needs to process the loss.

Earlier this month, Joshua shared footage of himself back in the gym, describing his pad work session as “mental strength therapy.”

In Thursday’s video, he also said, “One day my time will come, and I’m not scared either at all. It’s actually comforting knowing that I’ve got two brothers on the other side.

“I’ve lost people before, but I don’t think I’ve lost people like that, my left and my right, you know?”