Anthony Joshua Returns to Gym Weeks After Tragic Nigeria Car Crash

Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has resumed training, returning to the gym for what he described as “mental strength therapy,” just weeks after a devastating car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two of his close associates.

Joshua was a passenger in a Lexus SUV involved in a collision with a stationary truck on the Lagos–Ibadan expressway on December 29. Two members of his backroom team — personal trainer Latif Ayodele and strength and conditioning coach Sina Ghami — were killed in the crash. The boxer himself sustained minor injuries.

Despite earlier warnings from his promoter that he could be sidelined for some time, Joshua shared a video on Instagram on Thursday showing him working pads with a trainer. He captioned the clip: “Mental Strength Therapy.”

The incident had raised doubts about whether the 36-year-old would return to the ring, but promoter Eddie Hearn said on Wednesday that Joshua would be given all the time he needs to grieve and recover.

“I think AJ, as we have seen in the past on boxing-related stuff, is always a brave-face guy, a very positive guy,” Hearn told Sky Sports.

“This is very different to that and I know he will take his time.

“He will need his time physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually before he makes a decision on his future. I do think he will want to return to boxing, but that will be his decision when the time is right.”

The crash occurred while Joshua was holidaying in Nigeria after his December 19 victory over YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami.

Both Ayodele and Ghami died at the scene of the accident.

Before the tragedy, speculation had resurfaced over a long-anticipated fight between Joshua and fellow former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, who recently came out of retirement. However, Hearn said discussions about Joshua’s boxing future are on hold.

“That is not a conversation that anyone is comfortable having,” he said. “When the time is right, I believe he will make his decision and you will hear it from him.”

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