Former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua has shared a moving tribute to his personal trainer, Kevin Latif Ayodele, and strength coach, Sina Ghami, who were killed in a road accident on December 29, 2025. Writing on his Instagram page on Thursday, January 8, 2026, Joshua admitted that he only fully realized he had been “in the presence of great men” after their tragic passing. Joshua was a passenger in the Toyota Lexus that crashed along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, a route frequently described by local officials as one of Nigeria’s deadliest highways.
The boxing star sustained minor injuries in the crash and was treated at Lagoon Hospital in Ikoyi before being discharged on New Year’s Eve. Following his release, Joshua and his mother visited a funeral home in Lagos to pay their respects before the bodies of his associates were repatriated to the United Kingdom for burial. “It’s tough for me, but I know it’s even tougher for their parents,” Joshua wrote, expressing his gratitude for the outpouring of love and support from fans worldwide during what he described as a period of deep reflection and mourning.
In the wake of the accident, the Nigeria Police confirmed that the driver of the vehicle, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, has been formally charged. The charges include causing death by dangerous driving and operating a vehicle without a valid driver’s license. A magistrate’s court has adjourned the case until January 20, 2026. While Kayode was granted bail in the sum of ₦5 million, he remains in custody pending the fulfillment of his bail conditions. The accident has also reignited national debates regarding the “gross failure” of emergency services, as voluntary bystanders—rather than paramedics—were the ones who pulled Joshua from the wreckage.
