Two close members of Anthony Joshua’s training team, Sina ‘Evolve’ Ghami and Abdul Lateef ‘Latz’, were involved in a car crash in Nigeria on Monday.
Nigerian authorities have not officially confirmed the identities of the victims. However, Nigerian journalist Adeola Fayehun reported that the two who died were Ghami and Latz. Fellow boxer Badou Jack also posted a tribute to Latz on Instagram.
At this time, neither families nor officials have formally confirmed the identities, and these reports have not been independently verified by HT.com.
According to the BBC, the British- Nigerian boxing star escaped the car crash with minor injuries while travelling near Ogun State on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Read more: Here’s how Anthony Joshua’s car crashed on ‘one of Nigeria’s deadliest roads’
Who is Sina ‘Evolve’ Ghami?
Ghami was well-known for bridging the gap between clinical healing and peak athletic output and was a revolutionary figure in high-performance rehabilitation.
He is a long-time friend of Joshua and is widely referred to as his strength and conditioning coach in the boxing community.
He was responsible for preparing the former two-time heavyweight champion’s physical readiness ahead of high-profile fights like the recent fight and victory over YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul on December 19.
Ghami also played a crucial role in Joshua’s corner during a number of notable fights, including the historic victory over Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium in 2017.
He turned his elite-level experience into a facility that embodied his forward-thinking mindset when he co-founded Evolve Gym in Ruislip, London, in 2017. He is hence known as Sina ‘Evolve’ Ghami.
Who is Latz?
Latif, healthy_mindset a.k.a Latz on Instagram, served as Joshua’s personal trainer and was often seen working closely with him at training camps and was credited with much of the boxer’s conditioning and technical preparation.
Read more: Anthony Joshua car crash: Family expresses shock over fatal incident in Nigeria
Crash details
The accident occurred around 11 a.m. local time on a stretch of one of Nigeria’s busiest highways. Police say Joshua was seated in the rear of a Lexus SUV when the vehicle reportedly lost control during an overtaking manoeuvre and struck a stationary truck parked roadside.
The local authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, with early indications pointing to excessive speed and a possible tyre burst as contributing factors.
Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes at the wreckage, where bystanders helped extract a visibly shaken Joushua from the vehicle amid shards of glass and twisted metal. Joshua was later transported to a nearby medical facility, where he was assessed for injuries that are reportedly not threatening.