Former world champion Roy Jones Jr has offered words of comfort and faith to Anthony Joshua following the fatal car crash in Nigeria in which the British heavyweight lost two of his closest friends.
The incident occurred in December 2025, when a vehicle carrying Joshua’s longtime friends, Sina Ghami and Kevin Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele, was involved in a road traffic accident in Nigeria. Both men lost their lives in the crash. They were widely regarded as close confidants of Joshua and had been part of his inner circle for many years.
Jones, speaking to Clubhouse Boxing after learning of the tragedy, share advice on navigating an overwhelming period of grief, drawing on his own experience of loss. In 2023, one of Jones’ sons, DeAndre, died by suicide, a tragedy the former boxer has spoken about publicly in the context of faith, resilience and mourning.
In an emotional message, Jones emphasised that Joshua should not blame himself and encouraged him to place his trust in God during a time that defies explanation.
‘You’ve got to leave it in God’s hands,’ Jones said. ‘I know he’s Muslim, so Inshallah. As hard as it is, you’ve got to let God do what God does. You can’t control life. We are in God’s world.’
Jones said moments of sudden loss often leave people searching for answers that may never come, and warned against carrying responsibility for events beyond human control.
Roy Jones Jr has offered words of comfort and faith to Anthony Joshua following the fatal car crash in Nigeria in which the current heavyweight lost two of his closest friends
Joshua pictured with friends Latif Ayodele (c) and Sina Ghami who both passed in the crash
Joshua (centre) flanked by (left-to-right) Sina Ghami’s sister, Latif Ayodele’s mother, Sina’s mother and his own mother in a picture the boxer posted to Instagram
‘Things will happen that we don’t understand, but God has a reason,’ he said. ‘We don’t have explanations for them. But if we trust and believe in God, we know He has His reasons and that they will make sense one day.’
The American boxing legend was particularly clear in telling Joshua that the deaths of his close friends Latz and Sina were not his fault.
‘Everything was out of your control,’ Jones said. ‘You couldn’t have saved them. We have to learn to control the things that God lets us control. We can’t take responsibility for things He has decided.’
Jones also sought to clarify his words, stressing that acknowledging faith does not diminish the pain of loss.
‘I don’t want people to take what I said the wrong way when I say let it go,’ he said. ‘I just mean don’t think it was his fault. He didn’t do anything. He’s not responsible. But of course, I am so sorry for the loss.’
Reflecting on the death of his own son, Jones spoke candidly about the enduring pain of bereavement and the struggle to move forward.
‘It’s the same as me with my kid,’ he said. ‘I didn’t want to see my kid go out. And it hurts. It really hurts. But only God knows why He took him.’
DeAndre, born on July 1, 1992, was one of three children that Jones shares with wife Natlyn – his brothers Roy III and DeShaun.
Jones added that faith had helped him continue living despite the depth of his grief.
‘God doesn’t want me to stop and lay down,’ he said. ‘He gave me life, and He can take mine whenever He wants to, like He took theirs. So we have to respect and understand that God is all-powerful.’
He ended his message with a direct note of solidarity to Joshua.
DeAndre, born on July 1, 1992, was the youngest of three children that Jones shared with wife Natlyn after his brothers Roy III and DeShaun
Jones, a four-weight world champion, is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time
‘Be strong. Raise your head up and know everyone is behind you.’
The crash has prompted an outpouring of sympathy for Joshua, with figures across sport and beyond expressing condolences as he mourns the loss of two men described as among his closest friends.
