Anthony Joshua had an emotional FaceTime session with former UFC champion Kamaru Usman following the tragic loss of his two close friends in a car crash.
While back in Nigeria to celebrate the New Year, Joshua was involved in a car crash in Makun, Ogun State, on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway when a Lexus Jeep collided with a stationary truck by the side of the road.
Joshua was a passenger in the backseat and images emerged of him sat in the vehicle surrounded by smashed glass. He was taken to hospital to recover from minor injuries but it was reported that two adult males had lost their lives in the tragic accident.
JUST IN: Anthony Joshua pays emotional tribute to ‘my brothers’ after
Authorities later confirmed the deceased to be Kevin Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami, both 36 and long-time members of Joshua’s team.
They had helped prepare Joshua for his most recent fight, where he knocked out Jake Paul in the sixth round.
Two-time heavyweight champion Joshua back in the UK and on Sunday, he posted a picture on Instagram where he is sat on a sofa with four other people – with one holding a framed photo of the late Sina.
The 36-year-old had understandably been relatively quiet online while grieving until he put out a tribute to his late friends on his official channels, thanking fans “for all the love and care you have shown my brothers” and admitting he “didn’t even realise how special they are”.
Joshua had a conversation with Nigerian-born Usman and it was controversially included in part of his behind the scenes vlog at an AKO MMA event in Lagos.
In the FaceTime, a bandage-wearing Joshua could be heard telling Usman, “Obviously, two of my close friends passed away. It still hasn’t sunk in. It still hasn’t hit me yet”.
Usman replied: “You scared the world. It’s crazy because, obviously, we deal with the haters and all the bulls**** each and every time.
“It sucks that it takes something serious like this to really see how many people have their eyes on you.”
Joshua then said, “Life is short, man. And now look, I get to speak with you for the first time.”
Usman issued apology for Joshua leak
The private conversation being included in Usman’s vlog caused a huge stir and led to him taking it down amid the backlash.
However, he felt the need to issue a statement explaining the oversight and accepting “full responsibility”.
“After seeing what’s being written it’s quite heartbreaking,” the former welterweight champion wrote on X.
“Being on camera that whole day in preparation for The AKO show, it completely slipped my mind that my conversation was recorded. I realised after and asked about it. I take full responsibility for not properly watching the video that was released and keeping my private conversation with my brother AJ private.
“SMH big L on me. That’s not something I would ever do to a friend/ brother.”
The driver, Adeniyi Kayode, 47, has been charged with dangerous driving causing death, reckless and negligent driving and driving without a valid licence.
He denies all the charges and as per his lawyers, claims that the brakes “did not work” and that it was an “accident”.
