By RismadarVoice Reporters
January 2026
Former world heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua has returned to the United Kingdom following a fatal car crash in Nigeria which claimed the lives of two of his close friends/team members.
Joshua sustained minor injuries in the incident, which occurred on Monday, December 29, and led to the deaths of Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele.
The 36-year-old boxer was treated, discharged from hospital on New Year’s Eve.
The funerals of Ghami and Ayodele are scheduled to hold on Sunday at the London Central Mosque.
Joshua was reportedly travelling to Sagamu, Ogun State, to visit relatives for New Year celebrations when the collision occurred.
The driver of the vehicle, identified as Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 46, has been charged by the Ogun State Police Command with causing death by dangerous driving and driving without a valid licence.
He was granted bail in the sum of ₦5 million and remanded pending the fulfilment of bail conditions. The case has been adjourned until January 20.
Kayode’s 19-year-old son, Ifeoluwa Adeniyi, publicly defended his father, claiming the crash was caused by brake failure and an illegally parked truck.
“My dad is not a fast driver; he was following the speed limit when the brakes failed,” he told newsmen.
“If the truck wasn’t parked illegally, this wouldn’t have happened.”
Kayode’s lawyer, Olalekan Abiodun, also told newsmen that Joshua narrowly survived the crash after a last-minute seat change inside the vehicle.
“Anthony initially sat in the front seat, but the driver asked him to swap seats because his size obstructed the wing mirror,” Abiodun said.
“He then moved to the back seat behind the driver.”
The crash occurred just 10 days after Joshua’s knockout victory over Jake Paul in Miami.
