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Anthony Joshua tragically lost two friends, his surroundings were always a source of strength

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7 months ago

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Years ago, Anthony Joshua deflected criticism over a photo of 23 members of his inner circle in the locker room, doubling down to win his rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr.

Critics complained that the photo Joshua posted was evidence of someone holding him down, suggesting that some of his huge support system were there for their own gain.

His final defeat to Ruiz Jr. served as evidence to support this thesis – some assumed that fans would forget him once his unbeaten streak came to an end.

But that didn’t happen. This was never supposed to happen. Instead, the camaraderie around Joshua strengthened and inspired him to make up for the mistakes he made in his first fight with Ruiz Jr.

“Some of them weren’t on the payroll,” a friend of Joshua’s said at the time of the photo that sparked furor. Some of them were Matchroom employees. Some found time to come themselves. There was also his boxing team – trainers, physiotherapists, dieticians.

“Every organization has people behind the scenes. But there is a stigma from those around you or the fans.

“People who weren’t getting paid were there for love and support. Ask yourself: If your partner was a world champion and needed support, would you give it to him?”

Two of these colleagues tragically died on Monday in Nigeria in a car accident in which Joshua suffered minor injuries.

Sina Ghami was Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach. Latif Ayodele aka “Latz” was a personal trainer.

The two were close friends, vacationing with Joshua after his fight with Jake Paul.

Shockingly, hours before their fatal accident, Joshua posted footage of himself and Ayodele playing table tennis on social media.

Both friends have been by Joshua’s side for years, almost from the beginning of his incredible career.

They were two of the many friends and confidants that Joshua says he is surrounded by.

Many of the people who are still by Joshua’s side were with him as he built his heavyweight career and climbed towards a world title.

It’s a testament to the true friendship in this circle that no one has ever been too tempted by fame, no one has ever used Joshua as a springboard to create their own brand. They have been a true band of brothers since Joshua was throwing professional punches.

The circle of friends has been strengthened by professionals occupying significant positions around Joshua, but even most of these faces have remained unchanged over the years. Loyalty isn’t just something Joshua preaches.

Joshua has previously holidayed in Nigeria with friends.

His parents are Nigerian, and as a teenage man he was briefly sent to school in the African country.

In 2019, after intense scrutiny of Ruiz Jr.’s upset. and his future in boxing, the place Joshua went for his soul searching was Nigeria. It was the first time he had returned to the country since he was a child.

He ventured into the slums of Makoko, a makeshift city built on stilts in the water and transported there by boat.

Joshua recalled his trip to Nigeria with emotion: “I could have won 10 titles, landed at Heathrow and no one was waiting for me except my mother and cousin.

– When did I land at the airport there?

The great heavyweight had to stop talking, caught up in the emotions of his roots.

Many years later, tragedy struck in Nigeria.

Talks about his next fight, either in February or with Tyson Fury in the summer, have rightly been shelved and will remain hidden for some time.

The boxing community – including heavyweights Joshua respects and those he calls rivals – gathered to honor the lives lost on Monday.

Joshua is always at the center of other heavyweights’ thoughts, but now it’s for a different reason – the boxer is in the background and his grieving friend takes priority.

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Boxing

Usyk Analyzes Anthony Joshuas Performance Against Kristian Prenga After Overcoming Two Knockdowns

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10 hours ago

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July 25, 2026

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"Usyk Analyzes Anthony Joshua's Performance Against Kristian Prenga After Overcoming Two Knockdowns"

Oleksandr Usyk has shared his reaction to Anthony Joshua‘s dramatic knockout victory against Kristian Prenga.

Usyk nearly suffered his own shock defeat in May when he was pushed to the limit by kickboxing star Rico Verhoevenand two months on it was nrw teammate Joshua’s turn to come close to a massive upset loss that would have stunned the heavyweight division.

The Brit was dropped twice by massive underdog Prenga in the opening round of their clash in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, but ‘AJ’ managed to recover and record a big knockdown of his own in the second round that resulted in the stoppage victory.

Joshua and Usyk now train together, having famously had two battles for the unified world heavyweight title in 2021 and 2022, and the Ukrainian has had his say on his stablemate’s victory over Prenga.

Speaking to TalkSporttwo-time undisputed champion Usyk praised Joshua, insisting ‘AJ is back’ before predicting that Joshua will now claim a knockout win over long-term rival Tyson Fury in his next bout.

“Anthony Joshua is next undisputed champion. First round it’s a test but AJ is back.

It’s boxing, [the] big upper cut is good, it’s a knockdown. AJ [come] back and win.

“Greedy Belly [Fury] will speak now and say weak chin, Greedy Belly get out. AJ wins [against Fury], [he will] knock him out.”

Fury was victorious on Friday as he earned a seventh round retirement win against Mariusz Wach in Thailand, paving the way for the showdown against Joshua later this year.

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Jake Paul Reacts to Anthony Joshuas Stunning Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Two Early Knockdowns

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12 hours ago

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July 25, 2026

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"Jake Paul Reacts to Anthony Joshua's Stunning Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Two Early Knockdowns"

Jake Paul was the last man to fight Anthony Joshua and he has now revealed his verdict on AJ’s chaotic victory over Kristian Prenga.

Joshua went up against Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturdayin a clash that was expected to be a comfortable win for the former world heavyweight champion in order to set up the long overdue battle against Tyson Fury.

Any hopes of seeing that clash were nearly ended after AJ was dropped twice in the opening round of the bout, though he was able to recover and claim the second round knockout to come out on top and prevent a stunning shock upset from taking place.

Saturday’s outing saw Joshua back in the ring for the first time since his sixth round triumph over YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul back in Decemberand now ‘The Problem Child’ himself has shared his reaction to his former rival’s victory over Prenga.

Posting on social mediaPaul praised AJ for earning the win, after returning to action following the tragic car crash he was involved in at the end of last year which took the lives of his two close friends.

“Happy for Joshua with that win after all he’s been through. Remembering Sina and Latz with this one.”

The win for Joshua should now tee up for meeting with Fury later this year, after ‘The Gypsy King’ held up his end of the bargain by also securing a win in his warm-up bout on Friday, securing a seventh round retirement win against Mariusz Wach.

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Tony Bellew Reviews Anthony Joshuas Comeback Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Knockdown Drama

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12 hours ago

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July 25, 2026

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Tony Bellew Reviews Anthony Joshua's Comeback Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Knockdown Drama

Anthony Joshua may have earned a knockout win over Kristian Prenga but the fight certainly didn’t unfold as most people expected.

Joshua was facing the Albanian in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, and it looked like a massive upset could be on the cards when he was dropped twice in the opening round.

‘AJ’ was able to recover and went on to secure a second round knockout victory to prevent the shock lossseemingly paving the way for the battle against Tyson Fury later this year.

One man who was ringside to witness the battle was former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellewand he praised Joshua’s ability to turn things around in the fight after describing it as ‘chaos’.

“We predicted round two but I don’t think we foresaw that. That was chaos. He doesn’t see the uppercut coming and finds himself on the floor without knowing how he got there.

“The second one he did see it coming and he was able to clench down on the jaw. He got up and then the experience that he has he used tonight because he tied him up. Against Andy Ruiz he didn’t know what he was doing and didn’t know how to do that, but tonight he did.

“He showed once again there is no quit. To be that hurt in the first round and get up, that’s the recoveries of power. People talk about your chin, but it’s not, it’s the level of fitness that gets you up from the floor.

“When Joshua gets a fighter hurt he’s the best finisher in the division. Whenever he hurts someone they’re gone. I haven’t seen him drop anybody and they survive, only Andy Ruiz. He’s a ruthless finisher.”

The clash between Joshua and Fury is now expected to be announced soon for later this year, after Fury won his own interim fight on Friday by defeating Mariusz Wach.

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