The influencer was knocked out by Joshua earlier this month but put their rivalry aside as he paid tribute to the boxing great and his pals who were tragically killed in the horror crash in Nigeria
Jake Paul said he was “praying” for boxing legend Anthony Joshua and his two close who were tragically killed in a horror crash in Nigeria.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer was knocked out by the boxing legend in a mega bucks exhibition fight in Miami earlier this month, which Joshua’s long-time friends Sina Ghami and Kevin Latif Ayodele were at ringside for.
He said on X: “Life is much more important than boxing. I am praying for the lost lives, AJ and anyone impacted by today’s unfortunate accident. RIP Sina Ghami and Kevin “Latif / Latz” Ayodele. My thoughts and prayers are with their families and friends and AJ.”
Traumatised Joshua, 36, cheated death and was seen being pulled from the crumpled wreckage of an SUV that he was travelling in.
Photos from the scene show he was just inches from losing his life as he was the rear-left passenger in the left-hand drive Lexus which ploughed into a stationary lorry on a highway in Nigeria on Monday morning.
Footage posted online showed the two-time world heavyweight champion shirtless and dazed in the back seat and grimacing in pain. Miraculously he escaped with just “minor injuries” but his pals were killed instantly.
Latif Ayodele, known as Latz, and Sina Ghami, both 36 were also employed as personal trainer and sport and exercise rehabilitation coach by Joshua.
Just hours before the horror smash, AJ was seen laughing and joking as he played table tennis with former non-league footballer Latif, who was also known as Kevin Ayodele, and went by the username “healthy mindset” online.
Sharing a brief clip of their friendly game, Joshua wrote on his Instagram: “@healthy_mindset dishing out table tennis smoke.”
Photos from Latif’s page show the pair posing topless together by a pool five days ago, with the caption: “Looking like we just swam back from Miami.”
He had been part of Joshua’s entourage for many years and was ringside for many of his classic bouts, including his super fight with Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium in 2017.
Dad-of-one Joshua, whose parents are Nigerian, is thought to have arrived in the West African nation hours on Sunday for a holiday with friends and expected to stay for a week.
He was reportedly on his way to see relatives when the Lexus SUV he was in smashed into a stationary truck shortly after 11am on a motorway north of the country’s biggest city, Lagos.
Images of the crumpled wreckage were released by Nigerian officials, and a Mitsubishi believed to be part of Joshua’s convoy can be seen undamaged just yards away. Joshua’s vehicle was destroyed, its doors ripped out and the roof smashed out of place.
Authorities said the SUV is believed to have been travelling “beyond the legally prescribed speed limit” and lost control while “overtaking”, before crashing into a truck on the side of the road.
The 80-mile motorway from Lagos to Ibadan is one of the country’s deadliest roads, with heavy traffic at this time of year as many Nigerians living abroad visit for the festive period.
Ogun police commissioner Lanre Ogunlowo said: “I can confirm an accident occurred and Anthony Joshua has been taken to hospital. A vehicle rammed into a stationary vehicle. Unfortunately, there were two fatalities.”
Joshua has family roots in nearby Sagamu, and a tattoo of Africa on his right shoulder. He attended a boarding school in Ikenne, 50 miles from the crash site, before returning to Britain at the age of 12.
A spokesman for Joshua said: “It is with the deepest and most profound sadness that we confirm, following a road traffic accident in Lagos, Nigeria, the death of Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele. Both were close friends and integral members of Anthony’s team.
“We respectfully ask that space and privacy be given to the families while they process this truly shocking and devastating news.
“Anthony sustained injuries in the accident and was taken to hospital for checks and treatment, he is in a stable condition and will remain there for observation.”
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