Anthony Joshua, a former world heavyweight champion, is back in the UK after a car crash in Nigeria that killed two of his close friends and team members.
Joshua was hurt a little bit in the accident that killed Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele on Monday, December 29.
The 36-year-old boxer was sent home from the hospital on New Year’s Eve.
The UK newspaper BBC Today says that Joshua has finally flown back home after the sad event.
The BBC story said, “Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has flown back to the UK after a car crash in Nigeria that killed two of his close friends.”
Sky Sports says that the burials for Ghami and Ayodele will be held tomorrow at the London Central Mosque.
The Ogun State Police Command said on Friday that Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 46, was driving the automobile that crashed and was charged with causing death by reckless driving and driving without a license.
Kayode was released on bail of N5 million and told to stay in jail till he met the terms of his bail. The lawsuit has been put off until January 20.
Ifeoluwa Adeniyi, the driver’s 19-year-old son, publicly defended his father, saying that the accident was caused by brakes failing and a truck parked illegally.
Ifeoluwa told the Daily Mail, “Dad is not a fast driver; he was following the speed limit when the brakes failed.”
“He said he was pushing the pedal, but nothing happened. For three years, he has been driving for Anthony and is a skilled driver. He didn’t do anything wrong. “This wouldn’t have happened if the truck hadn’t been parked there illegally.”
Olalekan Abiodun, Kayode’s lawyer, said that Joshua survived the incident by changing seats at the last minute.
Abiodun told the Daily Mail, “I know that the trip started in Lagos and that Anthony got in the front seat at first, but the driver asked him to switch seats.”
“He did this because Anthony is a big guy and couldn’t see the wing mirror well, so he asked him to move and sat behind the driver. I think Latif was in front and then switched places with Anthony.
Joshua was in a Lexus SUV that hit a truck that was parked on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway near Makun. At the time of the crash, he was on his way to Sagamu to see family and celebrate the New Year.
The crash happened only ten days after Joshua knocked out Jake Paul in Miami.
After the event, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu thanked the public for their prayers and support. They also thanked President Bola Tinubu for his help during that time.
The two state governments sent their condolences to the relatives of the dead, calling the event terrible and very sad. They prayed that God would give the souls of the dead eternal peace.
Police are still looking into what happened in the crash that killed someone.
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