ANTHONY JOSHUA’S UNCLE DROPS A BOMBSHELL REGARDING THE HEAVYWEIGHT’S BOXING FUTURE
Following a tragic accident in Nigeria, Anthony Joshua returns to the gym. We analyse Eddie Hearn's update and the driver's trial.
Eddie Hearn isn’t sure when—or even if—Anthony Joshua will get back to training after that horrible car crash last month.
Joshua, 36, just made it back to the gym. It’s only been a few weeks since he lost two close friends in the crash. The accident happened in Nigeria and took the lives of Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami. Joshua survived with only minor injuries, and according to reports, he actually switched seats right before they set off—maybe that saved his life.
People spotted Joshua training in Dubai not long ago. Hearn even dropped by and posted about it on Instagram, writing, “Great to catch up today.” The visit came shortly after Joshua’s knockout win over Jake Paul in Miami.
Talking to iFL TV, Hearn gave a bit of an update after seeing Joshua for the first time since everything happened. “It was good to just see him. I hadn’t had the chance since the crash,” he said. “He’s still mourning, of course. We were in Dubai at his house—that’s where he lived with Latif and Sina. It’s not easy. He’s staying busy, and he’s working through the injuries. Honestly, I don’t think he’s thinking about boxing right now.”
Hearn says Joshua’s not training for a fight—just for his own peace of mind. He keeps getting questions about what’s next for Joshua, but even Hearn doesn’t know what the future holds. “The injuries aren’t going to affect him long-term,” he said, “but they’ll take time. Boxing’s a brutal sport, and you can’t just jump back in with injuries like that. I don’t know when—or if—he’ll go back into full camp.”
Right now, there’s not even a conversation happening about his boxing return. Hearn added, “AJ will always train. That’s who he is. Training helps—anyone can see that. Boxing changed his life; he’ll never leave the gym. But what you’re seeing now isn’t a comeback—it’s him looking after his mind and body, trying to heal. I can’t get over his strength and resilience.”
Hearn said it felt good to see him as a friend, just to talk and be there for him. “Losing those two, nothing’s going to fill that hole,” he said.
Meanwhile, Joshua’s been posting photos of hitting the pads, calling it “mental strength therapy.” He’s pushing himself with lower leg exercises and riding a stationary bike. Even though nobody knows if he’ll fight again, his uncle recently claimed Joshua told the family he’s retiring after the crash. “He’s retired from boxing,” Adedamola Joshua told The Punch. “That’s one thing that makes us glad, because when he fights, we get carried away emotionally.” But Mirror Fighting says Joshua hasn’t made any official decision yet.
Oleksandr Usyk, who’s fought Joshua twice, has become close with him. Usyk doesn’t buy the retirement talk. In an interview with Ready To Fight, he said, “I spoke with him. I heard a desire to continue in his voice—for his friends and for the chance to live that God gave him. I remember talking to the mother of my fallen comrade. She said, ‘Oleksandr, he’d be proud you’re still fighting. He’s watching from heaven.’ I think he is. Not just him—everyone I’ve lost. They’re my guardian angels in the ring.”
As for the crash, the driver—46-year-old Adeniyi Kayode—just appeared in court in Ogun State. He was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care, and not having a valid license. The court adjourned the case to February 25 and let him out on bail.
TYSON FURY BLASTS ANTHONY JOSHUA AFTER DANIEL DUBOIS STOPS FABIO WARDLEY IN MANCHESTER
Tyson Fury has labelled Anthony Joshua "chinny" after Daniel Dubois secured the WBO heavyweight title against a resilient Fabio Wardley.
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Tyson Fury wasted no time after Daniel Dubois stopped Fabio Wardley this past weekend, using the moment to take a shot at Anthony Joshua.
Dubois picked up his second heavyweight title Saturday night in Manchester, grabbing the WBO belt from Wardley in a wild, bloodied battle that’s already being called a fight of the year candidate.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Dubois, though. He hit the canvas twice in the first three rounds but bounced back hard, battering Wardley late and leaving his face a mess as the final bell sounded.
Wardley never actually went down during the fight, despite looking wobbly near the end. Credit to him for sheer toughness, but Dubois still beat him decisively. This was Dubois’ first victory since his massive upset over Anthony Joshua earlier in 2024, when he floored AJ four times in one night.
On Sunday, Fury chimed in about Dubois’ latest win. With his own fight against Joshua rumoured for later this year on Netflix, Fury saw an opening to stir the pot.
“Just been thinking about Dubois’ crazy fight last night,” Fury said. Dubois fought [Jarrell] Miller, stopped him, but never put him down. He fought. [Filip] Hrgovic stopped him but never put him down. Fought Wardley last night and stopped him, but didn’t put him down. He hit Usyk with bombs but didn’t drop him. But against Anthony Joshua? Drops him five times.”
Fury added, “I’m not saying Joshua’s got no chin, but facts are facts. Take it however you want. Nobody else went down, not Miller, not Hrgovic, not Usyk, not Wardley. But Joshua hits the deck five times? Chinny, get up, slink!”
Fury is coming off a comeback win over Arslanbek Makhmudov and has already signed on to fight Joshua this year. Joshua will warm up first against Albanian heavyweight Kristian Pregna in Saudi Arabia on July 25 before facing Fury.
Promoter Frank Warren says Fury vs. AJ will probably land in October, though Fury might want another tune-up, which could push things back a bit.
As for Dubois, he’s got options. There’s talk of a rematch with Wardley, a chance to settle the score with Usyk in a trilogy, or a domestic showdown with Moses Itauma. Dubois’ dad, Stan, told talkSPORT he’d rather see his son fight another British heavyweight next, not Usyk.
HOW DANIEL DUBOIS SURVIVED TWO KNOCKDOWNS TO STOP A BLOODY FABIO WARDLEY
"I had to dig deep." Read Daniel Dubois' full reaction to his stunning comeback victory against Fabio Wardley in Manchester.
The punch that changed everything wasn't thrown by either of the fighters.
Fabio Wardley came out blazing in his title defence, dropping Daniel Dubois just 10 seconds in. He did it again in the third round, making it look like his big night. But then, something strange happened. As Dubois got up after the fourth round, his trainer, Don Charles, slapped him hard on both cheeks.
That’s when Dubois woke up. “I had to make him realise what he needed to do,” Charles said afterwards. It’s not exactly the kind of thing you see at team-building seminars, but it worked. Dubois turned on, and suddenly Wardley’s reign started to unravel.
Wardley had picked Dubois for the first fight since collecting the WBO belt that Oleksandr Usyk dropped. Honestly, it looked like a smart pick: he dropped Dubois twice and set the tone. But after that slap, Dubois started seeing Wardley’s moves coming; those wild lunges became easier to dodge.
He landed his stiff jab and followed up with savage right hands. Wardley’s jaw somehow took the hits, but his nose was pouring blood, and his right eye was almost swollen shut. He kept pushing forward, showing crazy heart, while Dubois just kept piling on. The fight turned into a brutal spectacle, the kind you can’t look away from.
Wardley got checked twice by doctors but kept fighting. Honestly, it could've stopped before the second-to-last round, when referee Howard Foster finally stepped in. Dubois got his second world title; Wardley, battered and worn, just managed a thumbs up to his mum.
Dubois summed it up later: “I had to dig really deep. When you’re a warrior, you go to dark places. I was nervous at first, all over the place, and had to fight my own battles. That slap woke me up. My dad and everyone were in my corner; I couldn’t let them down.
“Fabio came to fight; he was tough. We were exhausted; it was a real war. I had to use all my skills to win. Great fight, great battle, and I’m No. 1 again.” Sure, Usyk might argue about that, but Dubois proved something; he got up off the canvas and won.
People have called Dubois a quitter since the Joe Joyce fight six years ago. Wardley himself thought Dubois would fold again in Manchester, and for three rounds it looked like he was right until reality snapped Dubois awake.
