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Latif Ayodele (left) and Sina Ghami (right) were killed in the car crash, with Anthony Joshua miraculously escaping injury free<\/p>\nThe former UFC welterweight champion has faced backlash after his interaction with Joshua – hours after the Brit’s crash in Nigeria – was posted online<\/p>\n
16:08, 08 Jan 2026Updated 16:08, 08 Jan 2026<\/p>\n
Latif Ayodele (left) and Sina Ghami (right) were killed in the car crash, with Anthony Joshua miraculously escaping injury free<\/p>\n
Kamaru Usman<\/a> has issued a heartfelt apology after his FaceTime conversation with Anthony Joshua<\/a> was posted online.<\/p>\n Joshua was passenger in the Lexus SUV that collided with a stationary truck on a major expressway near Lagos, Nigeria last week. The fatal incident claimed the lives of two of Joshua’s close friends and teammates<\/a>, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele. Their funerals took place on Sunday at a mosque in London<\/a>.<\/p>\n Many within the combat sports community have paid tributes to both Ghami and Ayodele. Joshua himself has vowed to look after their families for the rest of their lives<\/a>.<\/p>\n Recently a video emerged online of Usman showing Joshua speaking to him on FaceTime merely hours after the collision. The call appears to have taken place before an MMA event over in Lagos, Nigeria on December 30.<\/p>\n During the chat with the former UFC<\/a> welterweight champion, ‘AJ’ was seated inside a treatment room and recalled the unfortunate scenes while appearing to have bandages on his head and torso. Mirror<\/a> Fighting is not publishing full details of the call.<\/p>\n Love fighting? Then you need All Out Fighting!<\/p>\n All Out Fighting is your one-stop shop for all things boxing and MMA, two of the world\u2019s most popular sports – from exclusive interviews, to insight from the biggest world title fights and the most bizarre influencer bouts. Visit www.alloutfighting.com<\/a> for more!<\/p>\n Usman, 38, has been blasted after a brief snippet of their call was posted online. The MMA legend has since apologised, writing: “After seeing what\u2019s being written it\u2019s quite heartbreaking. Being on camera that whole day in preparation for The AKO show, it completely slipped my mind that my conversation was recorded.<\/p>\n “I realized after and asked about it. I take full responsibility for not properly watching the video that was released and keeping my private conversation with my brother AJ private. SMH. Big L on me. That\u2019s not something I would ever do to a friend\/ brother.”<\/p>\n A grief-stricken Joshua paid tribute to his two friends on social media on Thursday afternoon – not long after Usman’s statement. Joshua broke his silence on social media last weekend, but has now shared another tribute on Instagram<\/a>. “Thank you for all the love and care you have shown my brothers,” he wrote.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Eddie Hearn provides Anthony Joshua update and confirms next career step after fatal crash<\/a>READ MORE: Tyson Fury’s possible comeback opponent ‘makes sense’ after Brit’s retirement U-turn<\/a><\/p>\n “I didn’t even realise how special they are. I’ll just be walking with them and cracking jokes with them, not even knowing God kept me in the presence of great men. 100% it’s tough for me, but I know it’s even tougher for their parents. I have a strong mind, and I believe God knows their hearts. May God have mercy on my brothers.”<\/p>\n Joshua is now being given some time to grieve before deciding on his future. On Tuesday, reports emerged that the Brit’s uncle revealed his nephew had told his family he intends to hang up his gloves<\/a>. Adedamola Joshua told The Punch in Nigeria: “The major thing there is that he has retired from boxing<\/a>. That is one thing that makes us glad because each time he’s fighting in the ring, we are always carried away emotionally.” Mirror Fighting<\/strong> understands that Joshua has not provided an update on his fighting future yet.<\/p>\n