Devastated mourners visited the gym of Anthony Joshua’s coach this morning as a heartbroken pal described him as: “One of the best humans ever made”
Mourners leaving tributes outside the gym of Anthony Joshua’s coach say it will be “very difficult” for him to continue boxing.
Flowers and a lit candle are among the gifts left outside the doors of Evolve Gym in Colindale, north west London, which was owned by Joshua’s tragic pal Sina Ghami who died in the crash.
Both Sina and Kevin Ayodele were killed instantly on their trip to Nigeria when their black Lexus Jeep, in which Joshua was also travelling as a passenger, smashed into a stationary red commercial Sinotruck.
Agash Satkunarajah, 26, from Harrow, who had met Sina, stood for several minutes looking at the tributes.He said: “It’s quite devastating to see that they went for a holiday and never came home. For AJ I just don’t know where this takes him. I think mentally he’s going to be broken. AJ used to come here and prepare for his fights. He was a close friend of Sina’s.
“Sina was his very good friend, but he was also his strength and conditioning coach so I think it will be very difficult for him to continue when two of the most important people in your boxing career have passed away sadly.”
One bouquet left outside the gym included the message: “With deepest sympathy. So saddened for your loss, our thoughts and prayers are with Sina’s family at this such difficult time. RIP Sina. Martin, family & boys from Hendon Tyres.”Another message, adorned with a love heart and left next to a lit candle, said: “One of the best humans ever made”.A typed message has also been taped on the shutters, announcing that the business, and its sister branch in South Ruislip, will be closed for the day.It says: “With heavy hearts we announce the temporary closure of Evolve gyms on Tue 30th December as we mourn the loss of our beloved owner: Sina Ghami.“Thank you for being such a supportive community during this difficult time. We will update you on our plans to re-open. Team Evolve”.
A woman, who said her father runs the neighbouring business Cavendish Banqueting, said Anthony Joshua had been at the gym with Sina just days ago.
She said: “It’s devastating… so sad. He was very outspoken, very friendly, very jolly. He was chatty all the time.
“He had a gorgeous dog Bella and took her everywhere. She’s a French Bulldog.”
She added: “[Anthony Joshua] comes here all the time. He was here two days ago. My dad runs the business upstairs so he kind of phones up and says ‘I need a space’.”
Boxing superstar Joshua came within inches of death after he was pulled from the twisted wreckage of a car crash which killed two people in Nigeria.
Joshua – who has a tattoo of Africa on his right shoulder – is a regular visitor to Sagamu, a town in Ogun State, where his family are from. Both his parents, Yeta Odusanya and Robert Joshua. are of Nigerian origin.
Horrifying images show the shell shocked British sporting icon, 36, just moments after emerging from the mangled ruins of an SUV, after a smash which left two dead at the scene in Ogun State. Former two-time heavyweight champion Joshua is believed to have been enjoying a week-long holiday after knocking out YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, 28, in a £70million bout earlier this month.
It comes just days after the heavyweight knocked out Paul, 28, in six rounds, breaking his jaw in two places. The Miami mismatch was viewed by 33 million on Netflix – with Joshua already lined up for a return in Riyadh in February or March.Joshua shared a snap of himself and one of his friends at the swimming pool to his Instagram story on Christmas Eve.
After breaking Paul’s jaw, Joshua is being lined up for a showdown with Tyson Fury, 37, in September.Fury retired in January one month after his second consecutive loss to Oleksandr Usyk, 38, but the Gypsy King has continued to tease a comeback.
Dazed Joshua, whose parents are both Nigerian, was in the backseat of a Lexus which crashed into a stationary truck. Images released by Nigerian authorities showed the crumpled vehicle – with Joshua in agony surrounded by shattered glass.
Emergency workers raced to the scene near a petrol station on the busy Lagos-Ibadan expressway shortly after 11am yesterday in Makun. The 80-mile expressway is one of the country’s deadliest routes, having claimed 73 lives in the last three months and seen 645 deaths in 27 months.
Joshua was taken to hospital for treatment, according to Lanre Ogunlowo, the commissioner of Ogun State Police.
He was joined by members from his team, with no family members believed to have been with him. It is understood that Joshua was seated behind the driver, along with another passenger, when the crash occurred.
Four people were inside the Lexus at the time, while his security followed in a separate vehicle. Authorities said the SUV is believed to have been travelling “beyond the legally prescribed speed limit” and lost control while making “an overtaking manoeuvre”, before crashing into a truck parked on the side of the road.
Dramatic footage posted online shows passersby help a visibly shaken Joshua from the mangled wreck surrounded by shattered glass. A witness told PUNCH newspaper: “It was a two-vehicle convoy: a Lexus SUV and a Pajero SUV. Joshua was seated behind the driver, with another person beside him.
“There was also a passenger sitting beside the driver, making four occupants in the Lexus that crashed.“ His security detail was in the vehicle behind them before the crash.” He added: “Other eyewitnesses and I began the rescue and flagged down oncoming vehicles to assist.“ A few minutes after the crash, officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps arrived.
“The passenger beside the driver and [the one beside] Joshua died on the spot.” Chief Police Lanre Ogunlowo, Commissioner of Ogun State Police, said: “I can confirm an accident occurred and Anthony Joshua has been taken to hospital.”
