'I Feel Pain All Over My Body': Anthony Joshua Agonises Over Boxing Future After Losing Two Close Friends in Nigeria Horror Crash

Devastated Anthony Joshua said 'I feel pain all over my body' after the high-speed horror smash in Nigeria which killed two of his close friends, as insiders fear the tragedy could derail his boxing future.

The former world heavyweight boxing champion had a miraculous escape from Monday's death crash, but it claimed the lives of close aides Sina Ghami and Latif 'Latz' Ayodele. Sources close to the British fighter, 36, who will remain in hospital into the New Year, said he had searing pain in his knees and cried out in agony as he was taken from the wreckage of the Lexus 4x4, but tests revealed no fractures.

Crash on 'Highway of Death'

The pair were killed instantly on Monday morning as the Lexus SUV they were travelling in slammed into a parked lorry on the notoriously dangerous Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Makun. AJ and the local hired driver—both sitting on the opposite side of the car from Sina and Latz—cheated death.

Nigeria's Federal Road Safety Corps said in a thread on X that a black Lexus Jeep and a stationary commercial Sinotruck were involved in the accident. 'Preliminary findings indicate that the Lexus Jeep, which was suspected to be travelling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit on the corridor, lost control during an overtaking manoeuvre and crashed into a stationary truck'.

The chaotic and busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is known as Nigeria's 'Highway of Death' owing to its horrific safety record. The 80-mile stretch has claimed 73 lives in the past three months and a total of 645 over the past two years.

Tributes Pour In for 'The Boys'

Tributes poured in for AJ's strength and conditioning coach Sina and his personal trainer Latz, both 36. Sina—who was in AJ's corner during the Paul fight in Miami—had worked with him for more than ten years as his full-time sport and exercise rehabilitation coach. He helped the Watford-born boxer prepare for some of his biggest fights, including his world title-winning bout against Wladimir Klitschko in 2017.

Sina's uncle, Shahryar Rumi, said he was 'an angel living amongst us'. Speaking outside the family home in North West London, he said: 'There is no one kinder, no one more generous, no one more compassionate, no one more brotherly. They were friends, Anthony Joshua and Sina. They worked together, but they began as friends'.

Latz was one of AJ's oldest friends and knew him long before his superstar career. He played football for Aylesbury United, Tooting & Mitcham United, Hillingdon Borough, AFC Hayes, Chalfont Wasps and Northwood before joining Team AJ. Just hours before the accident, Joshua and Ayodele both posted footage on their Instagram accounts of them playing table tennis.

Tyson Fury paid a heartfelt tribute, saying of Sina and Latz: 'This is so sad. May God give them a good bed in heaven'. He added later: 'I wish AJ a speedy recovery and would like to send my sincere condolences to the families of his friends'.

Nigeria's president Bola Ahmed Tinubu revealed that he had spoken to Joshua and his mother.

£100 Million Mega-Bout Now on the Back Burner

Boxing pundit Steve Bunce described them as 'massive parts of the Anthony Joshua machine'. He said: 'They are with him all the time. He calls them his boys. They're more than that. They are friends. They may have strict jobs, they might be his strength and conditioning coach, his personal trainer, his dietitian, his nutritionist, but they're close and he loves that close circle'.

The crash came ten days after AJ celebrated, knocking out YouTuber Jake Paul in a money-spinning bout in the US. Joshua—who raked in a reported £70 million from his recent KO of Paul—was being lined up to face fellow Brit Tyson Fury next year, but insiders say plans for the £100 million mega-bout are now on the back burner.