Anthony Joshua has paid a touching tribute to two close friends killed in a car crash in Nigeria last month by having their names tattooed on his arm.
Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele died while the car they were travelling in struck a truck on a road near Lagos in December.
The heavyweight boxer, who was also in the vehicle, was taken to hospital before being discharged and flying home to the UK – where he attended the funerals of his strength and conditioning coach Ghami and Ayodele, one of his trainers.
Now, the 36-year-old has had their names inked on his arm at a London tattoo parlour.
Fulham Tattoo posted two images on Instagram on Thursday in a post which read: ‘Huge thank you to two-time heavyweight champion of the world Anthony Joshua for unexpectedly and unannounced walking through the door a few weeks ago for his first visit with us at Fulham Tattoo London… what a walk in!’
Joshua, who already had a tattoo depicting the outline of Africa on his right bicep, had the names LATZ and SINA inked underneath.
Anthony Joshua has added to his tattoo collection with the names of his late friends
Joshua visited Fulham Tattoo to add his friends’ names under the map of Africa on his arm
Joshua’s arm now reads ‘LATZ’ and ‘SINA’ after Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele
Joshua, born in Watford to Nigerian parents, was on holiday in Lagos after his win over Jake Paul in Miami in December 19. In the days after the crash Joshua thanked fans for the support they had shown after the tragedy.
Last month, AJ spoke for the first time at length about the tragedy with an emotional video on Instagram.
He said: ‘The last time I spoke to you guys was in Miami, we had so many plans to wrap up 2025. We went home, to see our families and everything got flipped on it’s head.
‘That was such an unforeseen circumstance that was out of all of our control. And not only did their parents, their uncles, their cousins, their friends and myself, lose two great men. We lost people that we dearly care about and have been major players in all of our lives, major, major players in all of our lives. It’s tough. It’s really tough.’
‘I’m not gonna sit here and show all of my emotions. I know in today’s day and age, it’s easy to analyse people, pass judgment, but I know what I thought, and I know how I feel.
‘I know what my duty is. They were my brothers, my friends, first and foremost. Then we became business partners, we became hustlers, we became generals, we became everything. We became housemates, who were living together.
‘You know, I’ve lost people before, but I don’t think I’ve lost people throughout this journey that I’ve been on. It’s like you think I’m the big guy but I was walking with giants. Protected.’
Joshua also reaffirmed his commitment to looking after the families of his friends, Ghami and Ayodele.
Joshua pictured with friends Latif Ayodele (centre) and Sina Ghami who both died in the crash
Joshua is pictured emerging from the car crash that claimed his friends’ lives
He said: ‘My goal is to help their families and to help them achieve their goals, even though they may not be here in the physical. I will be saying my prayers, and I’m going to help them fulfill their dreams for their families. It’s not only me though helping. There’s a whole team working on that stuff.’
He went on to add: ‘There is a whole system that will be helping fulfill their legacy, fulfill their dreams. But I know in my corner of the world, I know what I’m doing, and I know what we’re gonna do to continue there.
‘I’m gonna do what’s right by their family. It’s about what’s important to me, and they’re very important players, very important team, with very important friends and two of my brothers.
‘So yeah, I don’t think I’ve mentioned the love and appreciation. It’s all acknowledged by me, by them, by their families. 100 per cent we acknowledge the 1000s, maybe going into millions around the world that show so much love to them both. I still can’t get my head around it.
‘We heard you all, we saw the messages, the tweets, the social media, the YouTubes, the prayers, it’s all been acknowledged. So yeah, we know what we’re going to do. Mumma Latz, Mumma Sina, Pappa Latz, Pappa Sina, one love.’
It remains to be seen whether AJ will fight again, although he has shared footage of himself training.
His promoter, Eddie Hearn, last month suggested there’s a chance he may not choose to return to professional competition.
‘I have not had the opportunity to see him since the terrible crash,’ he told IFL. ‘It’s not easy.
Joshua has returned to boxing training, sharing footage of sessions last month
‘He is keeping himself busy. Physically, he is getting himself over the injuries that he suffered. They are not injuries that will affect him long-term moving forward. But they are injuries that will take time.
‘Boxing is a tough and rough sport. You can’t just go back in camp with injuries like that and I do not know when or even if he will go back into camp.
‘At the moment, there is no conversation or no need to have a conversation about that.
‘AJ will always train,’ Hearn continued. ‘Do not forget that boxing changed his life forever and he will never leave the gym.
‘What you are seeing at the moment is not him training for his return. He is training for his own mind. And he is training for himself to recover and repair. I just cannot believe his strength and resilience.’
