Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has returned to the gym for what he described as “mental strength therapy”, just weeks after a car crash in Nigeria that killed two of his close friends.
The British boxer was a passenger in a Lexus SUV that collided with a stationary truck on the Lagos to Ibadan highway on December 29. Two members of his support team, Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami, died at the scene, while Joshua sustained minor injuries.
Despite earlier indications from his promoter that he could be sidelined for some time, Joshua shared footage on social media on Thursday showing him hitting pads with a trainer. He captioned the clip “Mental strength therapy”, suggesting a gradual return to routine rather than a full training comeback.
The accident triggered speculation about whether the 36 year old would fight again. However, his promoter said Joshua would be given all the time he needs to recover emotionally and mentally from the loss of his long time team members.
He added that Joshua has often shown resilience in his boxing career, but described the tragedy as fundamentally different from sporting setbacks. Any decision about his future in the ring, he said, would come only after Joshua felt ready in every sense.
The crash occurred while Joshua was on holiday in Nigeria following his recent victory over Jake Paul in Miami. Ayodele, his personal trainer, and Ghami, his strength and conditioning coach, had both worked closely with him for years.
Before the accident, there had been renewed discussion about a long awaited bout between Joshua and fellow former champion Tyson Fury, who recently came out of retirement. That possibility has since been put on hold, with Joshua’s team stressing that no discussions about future fights will take place until he decides the timing is right, according to media.