Anthony Joshua back training again just 19 days after fatal car crash | Boxing | Sport

Anthony Joshua has been spotted back in the gym just 19 days after a fatal car crash claimed the lives of two of his closest friends. The two-time heavyweight boxing champion was travelling in a black SUV as a passenger along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on December 29, when the car collided with a stationary truck.

While the 36-year-old was taken to hospital with injuries, his strength and conditioning coach, Sina Ghami, and his personal trainer, Kevin Ayodele, died in the incident. A funeral for the two was held at a London mosque on January 4, with Joshua attending after he was discharged from hospital. While the future of AJ’s boxing career was cast into speculation as a result of the tragedy, he has since returned to the gym to participate in what he dubbed: “Mental strength therapy.”

Taking to Snapchat on Thursday, Joshua was seen hitting pads with a coach, as well as participating in strength and cardiovascular training. Elswhere, Eddie Hearn explained that he believes Joshua will return to the sport of boxing once he has had time to heal physically and mentally.

The Matchroom chief told Sky Sports: “He will need his time physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually before he makes a decision on his future. I do think he will want to return to boxing, but that will be his decision when the time is right.

“It is certainly not a conversation I’ll be having with him any time soon. The only conversation is, ‘Are you OK?’ And sometimes we find people will give that facade of being OK, but 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 and we’ll give him his time to make that decision and heal.”

Joshua’s last fight came in the form of a mega-money showdown with Jake Paul in Miami, Florida, just days before Christmas. AJ secured a sixth-round TKO over the ‘Problem Child’ on the night, as the bout was broadcast live on Netflix.

In the wake of his win, Joshua was quick to call out long-time rival Tyson Fury, telling Ariel Helwani: “If Tyson Fury is as serious as he thinks he is, and he wants to put that on his Twitter fingers, and put on some gloves and come and fight one of the realest fighters out there that will take on any challenge.

“Step in the ring with me next if you’re a real bad boy. Don’t do all that talking, AJ this, AJ that. Let’s see you in the ring, talk with your fists.”

While Frank Warren previously explained he was looking to line up a bout between the two boxing titans for late summer 2026, it remains to be seen how soon Joshua will look to return to the squared-circle after last month’s devastating crash.