Anthony Joshua’s uncle has disclosed that the former world champion has conveyed his intention to retire after the tragic car accident that claimed the lives of two of his close friends.
The ex-two-time heavyweight world champion was a passenger in a Lexus SUV involved in a collision with a stationary truck on a major expressway near Lagos, Nigeria. The crash resulted in the untimely deaths of Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele, whose funerals were held at a mosque in London on Sunday.
Ahead of the funeral, ‘AJ’ shared photos on Instagram, seated with his mother and three other women, one of whom held a picture of Ghami. Joshua captioned the post ‘My Brothers Keeper.’
Following the recent tragedy, Joshua is contemplating retirement and has reportedly shared this decision with his family in private. His uncle, Adedamola Joshua, expressed relief at the retirement announcement, mentioning the emotional toll of watching Joshua fight in the ring.
While reports from Nigeria suggest Joshua’s retirement, Mirror Fighting understands that he has not yet made a final decision on his future.
The driver involved in the accident, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, has been charged with various offenses related to the crash. Joshua, after receiving hospital treatment, returned to the UK on Friday. An eyewitness described Joshua’s shock at the severity of the incident.
Recent revelations indicate that Joshua had initially been seated in the front of the vehicle but moved to the back at the driver’s request, potentially saving his life. Joshua had been in Nigeria following his victory over Jake Paul, where he earned a significant sum.
Plans for a future fight between Joshua and Fury are uncertain following the tragic events. Frank Warren expressed understanding of Joshua’s current focus on the loss of his friends and the potential impact on his mental state.
Joshua’s boxing career began in 2012 with an Olympic gold win, leading to his successful professional debut. Despite ups and downs in his career, including a shock defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019, Joshua continued to showcase his resilience with subsequent victories.
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