Boxer Joshua pays tribute to friends who lost their lives in Ogun accident with victorious return to the ring

Anthony Joshua, a Nigerian-British heavyweight boxer, has paid tribute to his late friends and trainers, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, following his second-round knockout win over Kristian Prenga, a victory he dedicated to their memory.

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The bout marked Joshua's first fight since a fatal car crash in Ogun State, Nigeria, in December, which claimed the lives of Ghami, his strength and conditioning coach, and Ayodele, his personal trainer.

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Joshua wore camouflage attire bearing the names of his deceased coaches as a sign of respect and honour, before overcoming two knockdowns to secure the win.

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In a post-fight interview, the former world heavyweight champion described his victory as a tribute to the memory of Ghami and Ayodele, saying it was a testament to the spirit of his late friends and trainers.

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Joshua reflected on the win, stating that it was not just about punch power, but about the spirit of his late coaches and their families, adding that it still hurts to talk about the loss.

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The British boxer suffered a dramatic opening round, being knocked down twice within the first three minutes by Prenga, but he recovered to dominate the contest and stop the Albanian in the second round.

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Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, praised the former champion's resilience, describing his performance as remarkable given the personal tragedy he had endured in the last seven months.

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Hearn noted that Joshua had used his training camp to remain focused while coping with grief, showing exceptional determination after being knocked down twice, and added that contracts had been signed for the long-awaited heavyweight clash between Joshua and Tyson Fury.

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The date and venue for the Joshua-Fury fight have yet to be announced, with Fury recently defeating 46-year-old Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Friday, before returning to the Isle of Man.

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Joshua welcomed the prospect of facing Fury, expressing respect for his fellow Briton's achievements, but also confidence in his own abilities, saying he has learned that he cannot be stopped and will not be denied.

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Joshua added that he hopes the fans will enjoy the highly anticipated fight, saying "we're coming" as he looks forward to the contest.