Eddie Hearn describes Anthony Joshua’s resilience after car crash
Eddie Hearn has spoken out following his visit to Anthony Joshua at the NAS Sports Complex in Dubai on Sunday, describing the former heavyweight champion’s mental fortitude as “inspiring” in the wake of a devastating road accident earlier this month, reports BritPanorama.
The Matchroom Boxing chief met with Joshua, 36, just days after the fighter returned to training for the first time since the fatal collision on December 29. The crash, which occurred near Lagos, Nigeria, claimed the lives of two members of Joshua’s inner circle, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele.
Both individuals were close friends and teammates of the British boxing star. Hearn shared an image on social media of the two together on stationary bikes at the gym, captioning it: “Great to catch up with Anthony Joshua today. His resilience and strength is inspiring. The loss is heavy and he will take his time to get back on track but said he is truly grateful for all the support and the love shown for Latz and Sina.”
The two-time world champion had been in Nigeria celebrating his sixth-round knockout victory over Jake Paul, just ten days before the accident on the notorious Lagos-Ibadan highway. The SUV carrying Joshua collided with a stationary truck, resulting in minor injuries for the Watford-born fighter.
After the crash, Joshua was hospitalised but suffered no serious harm, reportedly due to having swapped seats before the collision. Ghami had served as Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach, while Ayodele functioned as a trainer. The funerals for both men took place earlier this month, with Joshua returning to the UK to pay his respects.
In a heartfelt tribute, Joshua reflected on their special bond: “I didn’t even realise how special they are. I’ll just be walking with them and cracking jokes with them, not even knowing God kept me in the presence of great men.” Hearn has refrained from discussing Joshua’s fighting future, emphasising the need for the boxer to grieve and regain his emotional footing. In comments to talkSPORT, he stated: “At the moment, Anthony needs time and privacy. There will be no conversations from us about his career.”
In a subsequent interview with Sky Sports, Hearn elaborated on the situation, stressing that Joshua will need time to heal physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually before deciding on his future. “It is certainly not a conversation I’ll be having with him any time soon,” he noted. “The only conversation is, ‘Are you OK?’ Sometimes we find people will give that facade of being OK, but what happened to him is not normal and heartbreaking for all involved.” Prior to this tragedy, Joshua had been expected to fight in February or March, potentially setting up a long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury.
As Joshua navigates this tumultuous period, the boxing community remains watchful, sharing in the hope of his eventual return to the ring. The fate of his boxing career may hinge on the resilience he has shown in these testing times, a reminder of how even the most celebrated athletes can be profoundly touched by personal loss.
