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.
EDDIE HEARN ADMITS AUSTIN WILLIAMS CANNOT OUTBOX WBC CHAMPION CARLOS ADAMES
Austin Ammo Williams faces a life-changing chance Saturday as Hearn plots a late-round breakdown of Carlos Adames.
Eddie Hearn isn’t trying to convince anyone that Austin “Ammo” Williams is a better boxer than Carlos Adames. He’s not pitching skill or finesse; he’s talking about grit. If Williams is going to win the WBC middleweight title on Saturday, it won’t be by outboxing Adames. Hearn’s hoping his guy drags Adames into the late rounds, toughs it out, and breaks him down physically.
Here’s the approach: Williams needs to pressure Adames, stay close, and make it ugly. A straightforward boxing match pretty much goes to Adames. So, Williams has to turn it into a dogfight.
“You just got to be a dog in there. You’ve got to hang with him, find a way, and try to combat the skill,” Hearn told DAZN Boxing. “You’ve got to try and trade with him, beat him up on the inside. You just have to not give in and find a way to break him.”
That’s the plan. Hearn figures the real shift probably happens late in the bout, maybe round nine, ten, or eleven, when toughness matters more than clean boxing or early dominance. Williams has to withstand as much punishment as he dishes out, keep pushing, and hope Adames finally breaks.
Hearn’s honesty actually tells you everything. “I don’t think Ammo is going to go in there and outbox Carlos Adames,” he said. He’s not pretending Williams is the slicker guy or has more tools. The path is straightforward: close the gap, trade shots, wear Adames down.
Still, Hearn sees a life-changing opportunity if Williams manages to pull it off. “If Ammo can become a middleweight world champion, he changes his life forever. The opportunity sits right in front of him on Saturday,” he said.
No doubt, Saturday’s a big chance. But it’s a rough road. If all you’ve got is to “find a way” through a gruelling fight, it usually means the champ has the edge when the boxing gets clean.
WHY NATE DIAZ SIGNED WITH JAKE PAUL’S MVP FOR MMA RETURN
Nate Diaz signs with Jake Paul’s MVP to face Mike Perry in an MMA return on the Rousey vs Carano Netflix card.
Nate Diaz is set to join the impressive undercard for the upcoming Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano bout. The UFC veteran has recently signed with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and will take on Mike Perry at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on May 16.
Diaz hasn’t stepped into the MMA cage since he submitted Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 back in 2022. After that, he tried his hand at boxing, debuting in the ring a year later, where he lost a points decision to Jake Paul. However, he bounced back in his next boxing match by securing a win against Jorge Masvidal.
There had been buzz about a potential fight between Diaz and Conor McGregor for McGregor’s UFC return, but those plans seem to have fallen through. Their history is well-known; they split victories in 2016, with Diaz dealing McGregor his first UFC loss. Many fans were hoping for a trilogy match, possibly headlining the promotion’s historic White House card.
Now Diaz is gearing up to face Perry at welterweight, following unified MMA rules over five rounds. He’ll be sharing the card with notable names like Francis Ngannou, who recently parted ways with PFL and is scheduled to fight Philipe Lins in the co-main event.
Diaz expressed his excitement about the return, saying, “Glad to be back in action." It’s time. Don’t forget where this all came from. I’ve got plans to keep going for the next decade, wherever it takes me. Time to set the bar again; get ready for a new takeover, again and again.”
He’s been hinting at this comeback for months and even called out Perry as part of a three-fight target list earlier this year. Diaz has openly admitted he has unfinished business in combat sports, aiming to capture gold before he retires.
His signing with MVP raises questions among MMA fans about whether the UFC had discussions with him beforehand, similar to what we saw with Rousey. She revealed she had talks with UFC CEO Dana White before announcing her Netflix fight against Carano, though she later criticised the UFC as a shadow of its former self, saying it no longer delivers the best fights.
While Diaz is undoubtedly the bigger name, Perry brings his own intensity to the card. Known as 'Platinum', Perry had a stint in McGregor’s Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship after leaving the UFC in 2021. He, too, has boxed and lost to Jake Paul before making a comeback to combat sports with a win over Jeremy Stephens at BKFC 82 last October.
Perry isn’t holding back, stating, “The King of Violence returns to MMA to elbow his opponent in the face.” The fight is set to be streamed on Netflix, with Perry promising Diaz will go “lights out” on May 16.
Nakisa Bidarian, MVP’s CEO, commented on the event’s massive potential, highlighting their record-breaking boxing viewership and expecting to smash those records again with this MMA card. He emphasised the matchup intensity, calling Diaz “the Real BMF” and Perry “the King of Violence", promising a battle from the first press conference through to the final bell.
This event in Los Angeles looks to be one of the biggest nights in combat sports, and Netflix’s involvement signals a bright future for MMA’s growth. More bouts for the card are expected to be announced soon, so keep an eye out for updates as the date approaches.
