Anthony Joshua has vowed to look after the parents of the two friends he lost in a tragic car crash last year. The British heavyweight boxer was involved in a shocking smash in December when the Jeep he was travelling in collided with a stationary truck.
Joshua’s personal trainer, Latif Ayodele, and strength coach, Sina Ghami, both died at the scene. He has not fought since but he is now a month away from returning to the ring against Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia.
And speaking ahead of that fight, Joshua has promised to make sure both Ayodele and Ghami’s parents are always looked after. He said: “I’m just there for their parents. Number one is being a good soldier for them. Gotta look after the boys’ parents.”
Asked if he has had to bury his pain since the crash, Joshua replied: “Everyone’s different. Me, I have to put my emotions to the side because I focus on the parents. My emotions can come at a later stage.
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“I really look at the parents and I understand it must be most difficult for them. So I don’t make it about me, I make it about them. I make it about the mums and the dads of the two boys.”
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn also gave his take on the boxer’s return and praised him for his approach. He also revealed he had concerns whether Joshua would return at all.
He said: “You’re talking about six months where he was involved in a tragic accident. Physically, he was seriously damaged in that accident. Mentally and emotionally, you can only imagine what was going through his mind. What he has done to pull himself back, physically and emotionally with this driving force. He’s more dangerous than he’s been before.
View 2 ImagesLatif Ayodele (left) and Sina Ghami (right) were close friends and team members of Anthony Joshua
“After the accident, you never know if you’re ever going to be the same. I don’t think you can be. I don’t think it’s something you ever get over.
“You’re in it. He experienced it. He saw everything. You can only imagine what he felt like losing his two best friends in that moment. He’s come back with this purpose to support and be there for those families but also come back with this driving force.
“Don’t forget, those two people were two of his biggest supporters, they were two of his greatest friends. They wanted him to succeed more than anything. They actually dedicated their own lives to the movement of AJ and achieving his dreams in the sport and I think he’s carrying that purpose.
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“And what he’s done as a man, he’s stepped up on so many different levels here to say ‘no, boxing is my purpose’.
“Before he could even get into camp, he had to do three months of rehab, the menial stuff, being on a bike for three hours a day. Doing little movements with his body. I didn’t know physically if he would ever return to boxing. Mentally is a different thing.”
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