Anthony Joshua has spoken publicly for the first time since the December car crash in Nigeria that killed his two friends.

Joshua was involved in the crash Dec. 29 near Lagos, Nigeria, that killed his two friends Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele.

On Thursday, the former two-time heavyweight champion released an emotional YouTube video in which he discussed the incident for the first time.

“The last time I spoke to you guys was in Miami. We had so many plans to wrap up 2025, and we were on a mission,” Joshua said.

“We went back home, went to see our families and everything just got flipped up on its head. God’s the best planner. We can plan to the best of our capabilities, but that was such an unforeseen circumstance that was out of all of our control.

“Not even did their parents, uncles, cousins, friends and myself lose two great men, we lost people that we dearly care about and that have been major players in all of our lives.

“It’s tough. It’s really tough. I’m not going to sit here and show all of my emotions. In today’s day and age, it’s easy to microanalyse people and pass judgement, but I know what I feel, and that’s all that matters to me. I know what my duty is.”

Sina Ghami, Anthony Joshua and Latif Ayodele Instagram
Joshua, 36, held back tears while talking about his friends. In the video’s caption, he conceded the speech “took a few attempts.”

“It’s a shame. It’s a shame … So, there’s that side of things. What can I say,” an emotional Joshua said.

“One day my time will come, and I’m not scared. … At all. It’s actually comforting I’ve got two brothers on the other side. I’ve lost people before, but I don’t think I’ve lost people like that. … My left and my right, you know?

“I was walking with giants that kept me protected.”

Joshua thanked people for their messages of support and vowed to fulfil the dreams of his “brothers.”

“What my goal is is to continue to help them achieve their goals. Even though they may not be here in the physical, when I pray, I know spiritually they’re going to aid me through. It’s not just physical strength that will get me through; it’s going to take a lot.

“A lot of strength from a higher power, so I’m definitely going to be saying my prayers, and I’m going to help them fulfil their dreams for their families.

“Not only me, there’s a whole team of us. … A whole brotherhood, a whole sisterhood that will be helping fulfil their legacy and dreams.

“I don’t think I’ve mentioned the love and appreciation. It’s all acknowledged by me, by them, by their families. We acknowledged the thousands, maybe going into millions, around the world that showed so much love to them both.”

Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s longtime promoter at Matchroom Boxing, said last week that Joshua “will take his time to get back on track” as the boxer continues his recovery from the crash.

Boxing champions Brown, Jones among six women to sign with MVP

The investment into women’s boxing for Jake Paul and Most Valuable Promotions continues with the signing of six additional women’s boxers to the promotion’s roster, including WBC featherweight champion Tiara Brown and IBF junior middleweight champion Oshae Jones, ESPN learned on Thursday.

Brown (20-0, 11 KOs) and Jones (9-0, 3 KOs) lead the latest signing wave by MVP. The promotion also added junior bantamweight LeAnne Cruz (11-0, 1 KO), junior lightweight Elise Soto (10-0, 9 KOs), Miranda Reyes (8-3-1, 3 KOs) and Brazil’s Jully Poca.

“Tiara, Oshae, Jully, LeAnna, Elise, and Miranda each represent a fundamental pillar of our MVP brand, world champions, Olympic pedigree, global stars, top contenders, and elite competitors with superstar potential and we are thrilled to have them our growing roster of athletes,” Nakisa Bidarian, CEO of Most Valuable Promotions, said in a statement. “MVP is elevating women’s boxing across divisions and borders, and we look forward to each of our new signees making their promotional debut soon. Our mission is to ensure fans have one brand that has the best fighters in the world and today further cements that position.”

Philadelphia’s Brown won the WBC title when she defeated Skye Nicolson in March 2025 and successfully defended the title against Emma Gongora in September 2025. Brown is ESPN’s No. 2-ranked featherweight behind Amanda Serrano.

“Signing with Most Valuable Promotions is a major moment in my career,” Brown said. “From my amateur foundation to becoming a world champion, every step prepared me for this level. I’ve earned everything through discipline and consistency. Now I get to showcase that experience and championship mindset on a global stage with MVP.”

Jones won the bronze medal in the 2020 Olympics at welterweight and became a world champion in her eighth fight when she defeated Femke Hermans by split decision in November 2024.

“From earning an Olympic medal to becoming a two-belt world champion, every step has prepared me for this,” Jones said. “With MVP behind me, I’m ready to compete on the biggest stages and continue building my legacy.”

Perhaps the most intriguing signing is influencer Jully Poca. She has yet to make her professional boxing debut but is unbeaten in exhibition fights, most recently as a part of Misfits Boxing. The fitness-instructor-turned-boxer has over 3 million followers on Instagram and became a social media sensation when a video of her beating up an Uber driver who was assaulting two women in Sao Paulo, Brazil, went viral in 2019.

“I chose MVP because they don’t just put women on the card, they lead the way in putting us in the spotlight,” Poca said. “Seeing how they have done with Amanda Serrano, Alycia Baumgardner and others shows me their incredible commitment to making sure female fighters are valued as we should be. While I am so grateful to everyone who has supported my journey so far, joining MVP gives me a platform to represent my country on the world stage and help take Brazilian boxing to a whole new level.”

With the promotional debut of all six women on the horizon, Most Valuable Promotions aims to continue building women’s boxing with an incredibly deep roster of talent.

“My passion for boxing starts from me stepping in the ring, but it’s equally focused on what I’m going to contribute to the sport outside of the ring with MVP,” Jake Paul added in MVP’s statement. “Today’s signings reflect my continued commitment to using my platform to push boxing to the biggest audiences possible in the world.”