Video: ‘I no longer fear death,’ tearful Anthony Joshua vows to honour fallen friends after deadly crash
Abdullateef Fowewe
Heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua delivered a raw, heartfelt video tribute on Friday, breaking his silence over the tragic December 29, 2025, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway crash that claimed the lives of his close friends and trainers, Kevin “Lats” Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami.
Joshua, who was hospitalised but stable after the accident, spoke directly to fans worldwide, blending profound grief with unyielding resolve.
In the six-minute monologue, Joshua reflected on the shock that upended their plans.
“Everything just got flipped upside down on its head,” he said, crediting divine intervention, “Yeah, it’s God that’s the best planner.”
Describing Ayodele and Ghami as more than business partners—“They are my brothers, my friends first and foremost. Then we became business partners. We became hustlers, lieutenants. Housemates, living together”—Joshua admitted the depth of his loss.
“My left and my right throughout this journey. I was walking with giants. Kept me protected,” he said.
The 36-year-old fighter, known for his stoic ring persona, revealed a newfound fearlessness in mortality.
“One day my time will come, and I’m not scared. I got two brothers on the other side. I no longer fear death,” he stated emotionally.
He pledged to carry forward their legacy, not for fame but family, “My goal is to continue to help them achieve their goals, even though they may not be here in the physical. I’m gonna do what’s right by them.”
Joshua extended gratitude for global support, acknowledging “thousands, maybe going into millions around the world” who sent prayers and messages.
“We heard, we saw. It’s all been acknowledged,” he said, directing love to the families: “Mama Latz, Papa Latz, one love.”
He urged continued support and offered solidarity to others grieving, “For anyone out there that’s lost a son, a brother, one love to you from us to you.”
The crash underscores Nigeria’s ongoing road safety nightmare on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, a notoriously dangerous route.
Early 2025 data from the Federal Road Safety Corps reported 175 incidents, killing 73 and injuring 393, often linked to overspeeding, poor vehicle maintenance, and delays in highway upgrades.
However, Joshua’s message ends on a note of perseverance, “The mission must go on,” fueled by “a lot of strength from the higher power” and a “whole brotherhood” committed to the cause.
