Heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua is respected in his sport, but he was introduced to a new audience when he faced former YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in a fight exclusively streamed on Netflix. The fight took place on December 19, 2025.
Joshua was victorious and knocked out Paul in the sixth round, leaving him with a broken jaw. However, just ten days after his win, Joshua was involved in a horrific accident in Nigeria with two of his friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele. They were also both members of his boxing team.
Anthony Joshua Breaks His Silence
On December 29, the men were involved in a car accident when the car they were in crashed into a stationary truck on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, in Ogun State, Sky Sports reports. The driver of the car, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, has since been charged with dangerous driving.
Although Joshua was able to come away from the crash with minor injuries, both Ghami and Ayodele were killed. Joshua had not spoken publicly about the incident, but he broke his silence with an Instagram post on January 5. The boxer posted a photo of himself with his mother, and the mothers of Ghami and Ayodele, BBC reports. In the caption, he wrote, “My Brother’s Keeper,” followed by two red heart emojis and a soldier’s helmet.
Fans & Celebrities Show Their Support
The post’s comment section has been flooded with reactions from fans and celebrities. Model Ashley Graham reacted with a broken heart and a praying emoji. Olympic champion Denise Lewis reacted, writing, “praying for you and everyone touched by this tragic loss.”
Someone also interpreted what they thought Joshua was saying in his caption. “Anthony is telling his best friends that he will take care of their mothers for life just like his own mother …..true brother,” the comment reads. Other reactions include, “For your boys now. Don’t stop,” “Stay strong champ!,” and Kamara Usman shared a red heart emoji and a praying hands icon.
The post has been liked over 2 million times and has over 17,000 comments, showing support for Joshua and the families of Ghami and Ayodele during this tragic time.
Anthony Joshua’s Defeat of Jake Paul
When Joshua defeated Paul, he also broke his jaw, and on January 6, News.com.au reports that Paul has an “indefinite boxing ban” until he can be cleared to fight again.
“I got four plates in my jaw but that’s part of the sport. The healing process has been a little bit tough,” he told DAZN, News.com.au reports. “I’m a little bit tired, it’s hard to sleep, I go onto the pillow, and then my jaw twerks up to the left, and I wake up.”
