Anthony Joshua has made a heartbreaking admission ahead of his long-awaited return to the ring, revealing he is still unable to fully process the deaths of two of his closest friends following the devastating road crash that changed his life.
The former heavyweight world champion will face Kristian Prenga in Jeddah on Saturday in his first fight since the fatal accident in Nigeria that claimed the lives of trusted members of his inner circle, Sina Ghami and Latif "Latz" Ayodele.
Joshua was travelling in the same vehicle when it collided with a stationary truck near Lagos on December 29, 2025.
The 36-year-old escaped with only minor injuries, but admitted the emotional impact of losing two men who had been central figures in both his career and personal life remains overwhelming.
Speaking ahead of his comeback, Joshua revealed he is deliberately keeping himself occupied because he is not yet ready to confront the full weight of his grief.
"It's tough, every time I think about it, it hurts," Joshua told the BBC.
"Even talking about it now... pictures… it hurts but I keep my mind occupied you know.
"If I stop, you let it sink in and I'm not ready for it to sink in yet."
Ghami had worked alongside Joshua as his full-time sport and exercise rehabilitation coach for more than a decade, becoming one of the most trusted figures in the former champion's camp.
Ayodele, affectionately known as "Latz", was also a long-time friend and personal trainer.
Just hours before the tragedy, Joshua had shared footage on Instagram of the pair enjoying a game of table tennis together.
Saturday's contest also marks Joshua's first competitive outing since his knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September 2024, with the Briton admitting he is feeling the familiar nerves before stepping back into the spotlight.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
- Cameron Menzies issues health update after worrying collapse on World Matchplay stage
- EFL club forced to cancel training after player 'refuses to leave pitch'
- Tyson Fury throws Anthony Joshua fight into fresh doubt with brutal 'bottlejob' attack
"It's competition at the highest level," he said.
"I want to perform for my team, I want to make them proud and make myself proud.
"It's a balance of nerves but I understand what my job is. [I have] a lot of understanding and clarity on what I have to do."
Victory over Prenga is expected to move Joshua one step closer to finally sharing a ring with Tyson Fury in the long-awaited Battle of Britain later this year.
Fury takes on veteran Polish heavyweight Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Friday night, with both British rivals expected to meet in November if they successfully negotiate their respective opponents.
There has already been plenty of verbal sparring between the pair, with Fury recently questioning whether Joshua would even follow through with the fight despite a deal reportedly being in place.
Joshua, however, insisted his full focus remains on Prenga before any attention turns to Fury.
"I'm not overlooking Prenga. This is a big deal for me this fight. God willing, everything works out," he said.
"If it's not Saturday night where we face-off, it will be within the next four to six weeks.
"It's a big mark to leave on the sport. If I win on Saturday and I could win later in the year, it's massive.
"The stars are aligned and I have to make sure that I'm on course. It's out there for me to go and do.
"It's going to be challenging but I can be the coward or the hero and I have to decide what I want to be."
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
from GB News https://ift.tt/gGo40eu
via IFTTT
Thank you for your message!