Anthony Joshua is alive today because of a simple, last-minute decision that now feels impossible to ignore. A swap of seats, made just moments before a journey began, meant the difference between life and death. What followed was a tragic car crash in Nigeria that killed two of his closest friends and left the boxing world in shock.
On Monday morning, while on holiday in Nigeria, the former two-time heavyweight champion was involved in a horrific road accident. The black Lexus SUV he was travelling in crashed into a stationary truck along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway. Two men in the vehicle, Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami, lost their lives.
Joshua himself survived with minor injuries. He was taken to hospital, treated, and later discharged. But the emotional weight of what happened is far heavier than any physical pain.
According to the driver’s lawyer, Anthony Joshua had originally sat in the front passenger seat. Just before the journey began, the driver asked him to change seats. The reason was simple. “Anthony is a big fellow and he couldn’t see the wing mirror properly,” the lawyer explained. Joshua agreed and moved to the back seat, sitting behind the driver.
“My client has pleaded not guilty and what happened was an accident,” lawyer Olalekan Abiodun told the Daily Mail. “I haven’t had a full chance to speak with him yet but I know he is saying the brakes did not work.”
He added more details about the moment that saved Joshua’s life. “I also understand that the journey started in Lagos and that initially Anthony had got into the front seat but the driver asked him to swap seats. He did this because Anthony is a big fellow and he couldn’t see the wing mirror properly so he asked him to move and he sat behind the driver. From what I understand Latif was in front and then changed seats with Anthony.”
That single decision placed Latif Ayodele in the front seat. When the crash happened, he and Sina Ghami were killed. Joshua survived.
Police later confirmed that the driver, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 46, had been charged in court. The Ogun State Police Command announced that he appeared at the Sagamu Magistrate Court on January 2, 2026, and that the case was adjourned until January 20.
“The Ogun State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that the driver of the Lexus SUV involved in the Anthony Joshua accident case, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode (male), aged 46, was charged to the Sagamu Magistrate Court today, January 2, 2026 and the case has been adjourned to January 20, 2026,” the police said in a statement posted on X.
Prosecutors brought four serious charges against the driver. These include causing death by dangerous driving, reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care, and driving without a valid driver’s licence. He was later granted bail of five million naira with two sureties, according to police spokesperson DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi.
The crash happened when the Lexus SUV hit a stationary truck parked by the roadside. Investigators say the truck was parked illegally. A Nigerian police officer revealed, “He was parked on the side of the highway which is illegal, he had not broken down and he was not with the vehicle when the accident happened.”
Early findings from Ogun State’s Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency pointed to speed as a major factor. Babatunde Akinbiyi, a spokesperson for the agency, said, “From the preliminary investigation that was conducted, definitely there was over-speeding on the part of the SUV Anthony Joshua was travelling in.”
He continued, “In the course of that, the front tyre on the passenger side burst. That led to loss of control before the vehicle now swerved and rammed into the stationary truck that was parked. There was excessive speed.”
The wrecked truck, which was carrying soya beans and registered to a Lagos-based company, was later towed to the Sagamu car pound. Police tape now surrounds the damaged vehicle as investigations continue.
Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele were not just passengers. They were family to Joshua. Ghami had worked as Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach for over ten years, helping prepare him for some of the biggest fights of his career, including his famous 2017 world title win against Wladimir Klitschko. Ayodele was also a trainer and long-time friend.
Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn shared his grief publicly. “With the heaviest of hearts,” he wrote on Instagram. “Two great men. Rest in eternal peace Sina and Latz. My thoughts and deepest prayers are with everyone.”
Tributes poured in from across the boxing world. Tony Bellew, Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk and Wladimir Klitschko all sent messages of support and condolences. Fury wrote, “This is so sad. May God give them a good bed in heaven,” while wishing Joshua “a speedy recovery.”
Usyk shared an emotional message, saying, “This is an unbelievable loss. [Sina and Latz] were two incredible people who were not only part of AJ’s team, but also friends. My sincere condolences to their families, loved ones, and everyone who knew them. Anthony Joshua – wishing you a speedy recovery. Stay strong, champion.”
Chris Eubank Jr also reacted, saying, “Thank god our heavyweight champ survived that horrible car crash. And pray for the two fallen soldiers Latz and Sina and their families. I knew both… they were genuinely good men.”
Outside Ghami’s Evolve Gym in Colindale, north-west London, mourners left flowers and candles. One visitor, Agash Satkunarajah, spoke about the emotional impact on Joshua. “It’s quite devastating to see that they went for a holiday and never came home,” he said.
“For AJ I just don’t know where this takes him. I think mentally he’s going to be broken. AJ used to come here and prepare for his fights. He was a close friend of Sina’s. Sina was his very good friend, but he was also his strength and conditioning coach so I think it will be very difficult for him to continue when two of the most important people in your boxing career have passed away sadly.”
Joshua was released from hospital on New Year’s Eve. In a joint statement shared online, Lagos State Commissioner for Information Gbenga Omotoso said Joshua was “deemed clinical fit to recuperate from home.”
The statement also revealed a deeply emotional moment. “Anthony and his mother were at the funeral home in Lagos this afternoon to pay their final respects to his two departed friends as they were being prepared for repatriation scheduled for later this evening.”
The tragedy came just days after Joshua’s return to the ring. On December 19, he defeated Jake Paul in Miami, knocking him out in the sixth round after dropping him twice. After the fight, Joshua spoke openly and confidently about his future.
“First of all, I want to give love to the crowd that came out,” he said. “It was not the best performance… but the end goal was to get Jake Paul… pin him down and hurt him.”
He even called out Tyson Fury directly, saying, “If Tyson Fury is as serious as he thinks he is… step in the ring with me next if you are a real bad boy.”
Plans had already been discussed for a massive all-British fight between Joshua and Fury in 2026. But now, everything feels uncertain.
Promoter Frank Warren admitted that boxing may be the last thing on Joshua’s mind. “He’s obviously lost two team members who were good, close friends who are now no longer with us,” he said. “I don’t know the extent of his injuries, but it’s also how mentally this will affect him.”
He added, “Tragedy can affect people in different ways; sometimes, you need something you can really focus on to pull through to the other side.”
For now, Anthony Joshua remains silent. No interviews. No statements. Just a man recovering at home, mourning two friends, and living with the knowledge that a simple seat swap saved his life while changing his world forever.
