Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua will decide his boxing future when ready, following a tragic car crash in Nigeria that killed two close team members
Anthony Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has said the former world heavyweight champion will determine his boxing future “when the time is right,” following a tragic car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two key members of his team.
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The 36-year-old boxer sustained minor injuries in the accident on December 29 near Lagos.
The crash killed Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach, Sina Ghami, and his trainer, Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele.
According to BBC Sport, Joshua has since returned to light training, sharing a Snapchat video of himself hitting pads with the caption “mental strength therapy,” signalling a gradual return to routine nearly three weeks after the incident.
Speaking on Joshua’s future, Hearn stressed that the boxer’s well-being remains the top priority.
“He will need his time physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually before he decides on his future,” Hearn said. “I do think he will want to return to boxing, but that will be his decision when the time is right.”
Hearn added that discussions about Joshua’s career are secondary to his recovery from the trauma.
“The only conversation is ‘are you OK?’ What happened to him is not normal and heartbreaking for all involved. When the time is right, I believe he will make his decision, and you will hear it from him. That is the only voice you should listen to in that respect,” he said.
Joshua had defeated Jake Paul in Miami on December 19, just 10 days before the crash, which occurred while he was holidaying in Nigeria.
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PUNCH Online had earlier reported that Hearn remains confident the former heavyweight champion will return to the ring after taking time to grieve the loss of his close friends.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
