Anthony Joshua pulled from wreckage after car crash in NigeriaYour support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Read more
Two “close friends” and members of boxer Anthony Joshua’s team have been confirmed as dead following a fatal car crash in Nigeria.
Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele are believed to have been travelling in the same Lexus Jeep as Mr Joshua when it collided with another vehicle on a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway at 11am local time on Monday, according to reports.
Mr Ayodele, otherwise known as Latz, was seen playing table tennis with Mr Joshua hours before the collision. Known as healthy_mindset on social media, he has been by Joshua’s side over the last decade of his career.
Mr Ghami is a physio in the boxer’s team and friend of Mr Joshua.
Mr Joshua is reportedly in a stable condition and has spoken to his family, but was rushed to hospital after he suffered minor injuries in the crash.
The former two-time world heavyweight champion, who is also of Nigerian heritage, was holidaying in Africa just 10 days after his high-profile fight with Jake Paul.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has said he is still gathering information but the boxer is believed to be “OK”.
A representative of Joshua told The Independent that the 36-year-old’s UK-based team is looking into the matter.
Anthony Joshua injured in Nigeria car crash – latest updatesWBC president pays tribute to ‘close friends to the champ’
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has paid tribute to Mr Ayodele and Mr Ghami as “close friends to the champ”.
“Deepest condolences for the tragic loss of Sina and Abdul Latif members of team Joshua and close friends to the champ @anthonyjoshua,” he wrote in a post on X.
“Sympathy for their families and friends during this difficult times.”
Nicole Wootton-Cane29 December 2025 21:20
Pictured: Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele
Sina Ghami was a team member, physio and friend of Anthony Joshua (Instagram)
Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele has been a close friend of Joshua’s for a decade (Instagram)
Holly Evans29 December 2025 21:20
Sina Ghami – a physio and friend who played a ‘pivotal’ role in Joshua’s recent victory
The Independent’s sports editor Jack Rathborn reports:
Sina Ghami, a team member, physio and friend of Anthony Joshua, has been confirmed as one of the two people killed in the fatal car crash in Lagos, Nigeria on Monday.
Known as sina_evolve on social media, Sina has played a pivotal role in Joshua’s most recent training camp and fight against Jake Paul.
He was seen working on Joshua in the last month, providing deep-tissue massaging and aiding the two-time former world heavyweight champion with deep stretching.
Sina posted an Instagram story less than five hours before news broke of the car crash, which has left Joshua “badly shaken” but with only “minor injuries”.
The story included a vehicle with the location Lagos tagged.
Sina is of Persian and Iranian descent, just like Jake Paul’s promoter and Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian, who posed for a picture together with Joshua throughout fight week in Miami in December.
Nicole Wootton-Cane29 December 2025 21:15
Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele – a man who stood by Joshua for over a decade
The Independent’s sports editor Jack Rathborn reports:
Latz, a team member and friend of Anthony Joshua, has been confirmed as one of the two people killed in the fatal car crash in Lagos, Nigeria on Monday.
Known as healthy_mindset on social media, Latz has been by Joshua’s side over the last decade of his career.
He was seen with AJ playing table tennis in a video shared on Instagram stories just four hours before news broke of the car crash, which has left Joshua “badly shaken” but with only “minor injuries”.
Badou Jack, the former cruiserweight world champion, and a friend of Latz, wrote a tribute on social media with a broken heart emoji: “Still in shock! May Allah forgive you for your shortcomings and grant you the highest level of paradise.”
Nicole Wootton-Cane29 December 2025 21:06
BREAKING: Two dead confirmed as Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele
Anthony Joshua’s team have confirmed the two people killed in the crash in Nigeria as Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.
The pair were “close friends” and team members of the champion boxer.
Nicole Wootton-Cane29 December 2025 20:51
Who was involved in the crash?
Other than Mr Joshua, the identities of those killed and injured in the crash have not yet been released.
Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps said in a tweet that five adult males had been involved in the collision.
“A total of five adult males were involved in the crash,” wrote the Corps. “Two persons sadly lost their lives, one sustained injuries, while two others escaped unhurt. Anthony Joshua was rescued alive and sustained minor injuries.”
Nicole Wootton-Cane29 December 2025 20:30
Where did the crash take place?
A Lexus Jeep believed to be carrying Anthony Joshua and three other people crashed into a stationary vehicle on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The expressway is said to be one of the most dangerous in the country and is formed of a 127.6-kilometre-long (79.3 mile) highway connecting Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State and Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city.
Authorities said the incident took place near Sagamu, in south west Nigeria. Mr Joshua is understood to have family ties to the area.
Nicole Wootton-Cane29 December 2025 20:00
New picture shows Anthony Joshua at the scene
A newly released picture shows Anthony Joshua at the scene of the crash earlier on Monday.
(Sodiq Ayo via Reuters)
Nicole Wootton-Cane29 December 2025 19:33
Foreign office investigating crash, statement says
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office announced that the FCDO is looking into the crash.
“We are urgently investigating reports of a road incident in Nigeria involving at least one British national and stand ready to offer consular assistance, if requested,” a spokesperson said.
“Our thoughts are with those affected, and their families.”
Nicole Wootton-Cane29 December 2025 19:23
Four people were travelling in Joshua’s vehicle, according to authorities
Four people were travelling in the car carrying boxer Anthony Joshua, according to authorities.
The Ogun government said in a statement: “The vehicle conveying a team of four reportedly collided with a stationary truck, resulting in two fatalities.”
The identities of those fatalities are not yet known.
Nicole Wootton-Cane29 December 2025 19:00