Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is considering retirement from boxing following a tragic car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two of his close friends and members of his team, his uncle, Adedamola Joshua, has said.
Speaking exclusively with reporters during a visit to the family home in Sagamu on Monday, Adedamola said the 36-year-old boxer privately informed the family of his decision after surviving the accident, which occurred last week near Lagos. The crash killed Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach, Sina Ghami, and his personal trainer, Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele.
“The major thing there is that he has retired from boxing. That is one thing that makes us glad,” Adedamola said. “Each time he’s fighting, we are emotionally drained. Whenever he’s knocked down, it feels like our hearts are coming out of our chest. It’s too much trauma for us.”
Asked if Joshua had directly communicated his decision to the family, his uncle responded, “Yes,” adding that the family was relieved he had chosen to step away while still at the top. “Now that he has said he’s leaving while the ovation is highest, we are happy.”
Joshua also pledged to provide lifelong support to the families of the two men who died in the crash. He broke his public silence on Sunday via Instagram, posting photos with the bereaved relatives alongside the caption “My Brother’s Keeper,” a phrase drawn from Genesis 4:9, symbolising moral responsibility.
A source within Joshua’s camp told reporters that the boxer remained deeply committed to those closest to him. “AJ is fiercely loyal to his friends and their families and will be there for them for the rest of their lives,” the source said, noting that both Ghami and Ayodele were long-standing members of his inner circle.
