Photos circulated on social media Monday, Dec. 29 showing British boxing star Anthony Joshua and two of his close friends. The three men were together earlier in the day, too, during a car accident in Nigeria.
Joshua, the former world heavyweight champion who suffered minor injuries in the two-vehicle crash, was the only one of the men to survive.
Though the initial reports identified only Joshua by name, subsequent reports identified the two men who died — Sani Ghami and Kevin Latif Ayodele. Their relationship with Joshua began to emerge.
Just hours before the accident, Joshua posted video of his playing table tennis with Ayodele, a trainer also known as ‘Latz.” He worked with Joshua and had known the boxer before he became a star.
Matchroom Boxing, which promotes Joshua, confirmed reports the British boxing star sustained injuries and was in stable condition. The company also addressed the grim news.
“With profound sadness it has been confirmed that two close friends and team members Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele have tragically passed away,’’ Matchroom Boxing said in a statement issued on its X account.
The men being together in Nigeria was no happenstance. Joshua’s parents were born in Nigeria before moving to Great Britain, where Joshua was born and raised. Ayondele, a former soccer player, was active in humanitarian projects in Nigeria. The photos online reinforced the three men spent time together.
One photo on Ayodele’s Instagram page shows him and Joshua flexing their muscles as they stand shirtless. Ayodele was a devout Muslim and one of the multiple photos with Joshua shows the two men wearing traditional Islamic clothing.
Ghami, who owned Evolve Gym in London, was Joshua’s coach for more than a decade. According to Evolve Gym’s website, Ghami also had worked with Draymond Green, the four-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors, and Le’Veon Bell, the retired NFL running back who was a three-time Pro Bowler.
But Ghami was best known for his work with Joshua. In 2017, he posted a photo on Instagram showing him posing in a boxing ring with a smiling Joshua and seven other men. It was the day after Joshua upset Wladimir Klitchko, then the IBO world heavyweight champion.
It was a signature victory on Joshua’s path to superstardom during which he was accompanied by men like Ghami and Ayodele.
On Dec. 19, there was more cause for celebration. Joshua knocked out Jake Paul in the sixth round of their highly anticipated fight.
Ten days later, Joshua had been hospitalized and those who knew two of his close friends were in mourning.
“Life is much more important than boxing,’’ Paul wrote on his X account. “I am praying for the lost lives, AJ and anyone impacted by today’s unfortunate accident.’’