Sports News of Monday, 5 January 2026

Source: www.thenationonline.ng

Anthony Joshua mourns as close friends are laid to rest in London

Anthony Joshua and deceased friends Anthony Joshua and deceased friends

Two close friends and key members of Anthony Joshua’s team, Sina Ghami and Abdul Latif Kevin Ayodele, have been buried in London following a fatal road accident in Nigeria on December 29, 2025.

The remains of Ghami and Ayodele were repatriated to the United Kingdom, where a funeral prayer service was held on January 4, 2026, at the London Central Mosque.

Ghami served as Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach, while Ayodele was his personal trainer and a trusted confidant. Both men were regarded as integral figures within Joshua’s camp, and their deaths have sent shockwaves through the boxing community.

Joshua, who sustained minor injuries in the accident, was visibly emotional as he attended the burial at Hendon Cemetery, paying his final respects alongside family members, friends, and supporters. Thousands had earlier gathered at the mosque to honour the late duo.

The 36-year-old boxer was a passenger in the back of a black SUV that collided with a stationary truck on a major highway near Lagos.