Boxing. Who were Shina Ghami and Kevin Ayodele? The two friends Anthony Joshua saw die in a terrible car accident
Anthony Joshua is recovering in a Lagos hospital after narrowly surviving a car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two of his closest friends, a tragedy that has cast haunting new meaning over his past reflections on how quickly life can slip away.
The British boxer was a rear-seat passenger in a black Lexus that collided with a stationary truck on the Lagos Ibadan Expressway in Makun on Monday.
The crash killed Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, both longtime members of Joshua's inner circle.
Joshua survived alongside two other passengers and is currently being treated at Duchess International Hospital, regarded as one of Nigeria's leading private medical facilities.
In the immediate aftermath of the crash, a video of Joshua speaking candidly about life and death resurfaced online. The clip, originally published in May by BoxingKingMedia, was reshared Tuesday evening by fellow heavyweight star Tyson Fury, who also expressed his condolences.
"I just look at life and I'm like man... this is crazy," Joshua said in the clip. "All of this stuff, believe it or not is a big distraction, in my opinion. Because in the grand scheme of things, everything that I chase and everything that I want to own to make me feel relevant on this earth, is not so important, because I can't take it with me.
"All that's guaranteed is death. All that's going to be important is just living to the best of our capability. Aint it mad how fast life will go? We'll be old, and one day all that will matter is living to the best of our capability.
"I went to see my Grandad the other day and he's very old now. I was thinking that all that matters to him now is who's looking after him at his elderly age, because he can't really look after himself anymore.
"At one stage of his life going to work was the most important thing ever. And now to that business, he's nothing, because he's too old now."
Joshua's family learned of the accident only after news began circulating publicly. His uncle, Adedamola, described the moment as deeply distressing and explained that access to the boxer has been restricted.
"Sincerely, the news that our son, Anthony Joshua, was involved in a fatal crash came to us as a rude shock," he told PUNCH newspaper. "We did not get to hear this terrible news on time until calls started coming in from people seeking confirmation. Anthony comes home three or four times a year, especially during the festive season, and it is usually a time to rejoice with family. This was completely unexpected.
"We are all eager to see him, even if only three of us are allowed, but we understand the need to protect him given his global status."
Authorities have confirmed the crash was caused by a tyre blowout that led the vehicle to lose control. Traffic police believe the Lexus was travelling above the 50 mph speed limit during an overtaking manoeuvre on what locals describe as one of Nigeria's most dangerous roads.
Babatunde Akinbiyi, Police Commander of Nigeria's Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, said the vehicle had "experienced a tyre burst because of excessive speed."
Local police have described Joshua as stable and said he suffered only minor injuries, though sources close to the boxer suggest he will remain hospitalised through New Year's Eve and possibly beyond. Nigeria's president confirmed that Joshua's mother, Yeta Odusanya, rushed to his bedside after learning of the accident.