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

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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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Jared Anderson withdraws from May 9 fight with a torn bicep

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Image: Jarrell Miller Claims Jared Anderson Pulled Out of Their September 13th

Ring Magazine reports that Anderson withdrew from his fight with Solomon Dacres after suffering a bicep injury. The 10-round heavyweight bout was scheduled for Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester.

Anderson (18-1, 15 KO) was looking for another step back after a knockout loss to Martin Bakole in 2024. Instead, the 26-year-old now faces another delay at a bad time in his career.

The fight at Dacres was not a world-class test, but it had value. Anderson needed rounds, activity and a consistent win on a major heavyweight card. Now that’s gone, and the injury gives critics more room to question where his career is headed.

The reaction from boxing fans was fierce, with several responses pointing out Anderson’s injury history and durability. Some questioned whether his body would hold up in the heavyweight division. Others suggested he might have to consider considering the cruiserweight division if physical problems persist.

It may be tough, but it’s the kind of failure that changes the way you view your prospect. Anderson still has talent, but he’s no longer talked about as a pure future heavyweight star. Now he’s trying to prove he can stay vigorous long enough to rebuild.

Moving to Queensberry and fighting in the UK seemed like a desperate attempt to find a novel environment that could boost his confidence. But this bicep injury is a disaster because it adds another year of rust to a psyche that already looked feeble. You won’t rebuild your self-confidence at the gym.

A torn bicep effectively means Jared Anderson’s career will be in frigid storage until the end of 2026. Recovery from this type of surgery usually takes six to nine months before a player can even think about hitting a full-power shot with that hand.

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Mike Tyson is nearing the end of his career at the age of 60 after Mayweather’s snubs and injuries

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Mike Tyson entrance 2024

Mike Tyson is nearing the end of his career as Floyd Mayweather’s recent cancellation of an exhibition may have put the final nail in the coffin.

Tyson’s Hall of Fame tenure, which incredibly extended at the age of 57 against Jake Paul in 2024, was approaching his final appearance against Mayweather.

The fight had been talked about for months as if it had actually happened. A date was set, attention was paid, but the reality never lived up to the headlines as the proposed event failed to advance beyond early discussion and quietly faded away.

There was a lack of explanation, space and real emphasis. In the case of a Floyd Mayweather event, this is usually the biggest prize.

When Mayweather wants a fight, he promotes it. This time he didn’t.

Instead, Mayweather moved on. His confirmed return against Mike Zambidis in Athens made it clear what his focus was, leaving the Tyson fight on the sidelines – most likely for good.

Time and injuries

Time has also caught up with this idea.

Tyson will turn 60 in June, and his next fights will be a huge surprise considering everything that has already happened.

He almost died when Paul’s fight was postponed from April to November two years ago, which Tyson himself later detailed after an in-flight medical emergency left the former champion fighting for his life.

That alone should be a warning.

Combine that with previous back surgery, appearing in a cast on his arm just last month, and the massive amounts of marijuana Mike is consuming, and another comeback seems unthinkable.

Tyson has been through a lot, but it’s a completely different situation for the hard-hitting Modern Yorker.

Ariel Helwani show

The last chapter

The Mayweather fight was the one that could have sent Mike flying with fanfare.

It had the name, the curiosity and the setting that could allow Tyson to make one last appearance without everything that comes with a full comeback.

Now that’s gone and it looks like his fight with Paul is all she wrote.

World Boxing News has already reported that Tyson’s former rival, Oliver McCall, is continuing to fight at the age of 61, but Tyson was never that type of fighter.

If he does not regain full health in the coming months, boxing fans will likely see the last of the youngest heavyweight champion of all time.

At this point, the opportunity has passed and nothing else on the table carries the same weight.

Mainly because it feels like Mike Tyson’s swan song has already happened.


About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Since 2010, he has interviewed world champions, published exclusive international performances and reported on in-ring performances. His work is distributed on major platforms including Apple News. Read the full biography.

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Naoya Inoue Offered Another Super Fight If He Beats Nakatani: ‘I’m Ready Anytime’

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Naoya Inoue offered another super fight if he beats Nakatani: “I’m ready whenever”

Naoya Inoue received another career-defining challenge before she even stepped into the ring against Junto Nakatani.

First and foremost, “The Monster” must defend his undisputed super bantamweight crown against Nakatani on May 2, headlining the blockbuster Japanese event at the Tokyo Dome.

This will mark Inoue’s seventh defense of his four major 122-pound titles, and the uncompromising feeling has been considered the top star of the two-pound-for-pound division.

The 33-year-old’s most notable victories came against the likes of Luis Nery and Ramon Cardenas, who both defeated the undisputed two-division champion but were ultimately stopped in rounds six and eight, respectively.

Meanwhile, Nakatani is widely considered to be Inoue’s toughest opponent to date, even though the three-division world champion lost debatable points of victory over Sebastian Hernandez in December last year.

However, to be fair, this was his first appearance at 122 pounds and many expected the 28-year-old to raise his level against Inoue.

However, in a world where Inoue is winning, it is becoming more and more likely that he will consider a potential fight with Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.

The unified super flyweight champion will move up to 118 pounds for his next fight, where he will face WBA champion Antonio Vargas on June 13.

If this next assignment is successful, Rodriguez will talk about it Ring Magazine that he will jump up another weight class to face Inoue.

“I’m ready at any time. If I was offered this fight right now, I would definitely accept it.”

Although Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed initial talks about the fight, there is equally a chance that “Bam” will drop down to 115 pounds in pursuit of undisputed glory.

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