Anthony Joshua may never fight again after losing his ‘appetite’ for boxing in crash which killed his friends, says Tyson Fury’s manager Frank Warren in message about mental health fears

Tyson Fury’s promoter Frank Warren believes Anthony Joshua may never have the will to fight again after narrowly avoiding a car crash that killed two of his closest friends.

Joshua, 36, was a passenger in the back of a black Lexus when it crashed into a stationary truck on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Makun, Nigeria, on Monday, tragically claiming the lives of Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.

The two-time world heavyweight champion was visiting family in Nigeria as part of a week-long holiday to continue training ahead of the fight in late March, ahead of his showdown with Fury in the autumn of 2026.

However, with his injuries being worse than announced and the mental torment he is going through over the deaths of two of his friends, it remains unclear whether Joshua will be healthy enough to return to the ring, or even whether he wants to return.

Warren told ITV News: “This is a terrible time for everyone involved and I hope AJ has come out of it physically well.”

‘But mentally it’s another matter. ‘I don’t know if he will have the will to fight again or even if he will fight again, only time will tell.’

Joshua was involved in a horrific car accident in Nigeria on Monday that killed his two best friends.

Fury, who has been managed by Warren since February 2019, paid tribute to Joshua’s friends Sina and Latif, whom he wishes were given a “good bed in heaven”.

A fight between the two British heavyweights has long been on the agenda and Warren himself admitted a deal would be reached for the fight to take place in 2026 if the financial package is right.

Sources close to Joshua, who last fought Jake Paul less than two weeks ago, say he will remain hospitalized on New Year’s Eve and for at least a few more days.

Police investigators confirmed the car crash was caused by a flat tire after Joshua ‘lost control’ of his Lexus. Local officials told Daily Mail Sports It was stated that Joshua’s condition was stable and he suffered only ‘light’ injuries, but it was feared that the injuries could be more serious.

According to The Telegraph, traffic police believe that the vehicle exceeded the speed limit of 80 kilometers per hour and lost control during an ‘overtaking manoeuvre’ on the road, which locals claim is one of the deadliest roads in Nigeria.

Nigerian Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (Trace) Police Commander Babatunde Akinbiyi reported that the vehicle’s tire burst due to excessive speed.

Joshua is seen with his friends Latif Ayodele (center) and Sina Ghami, who died in the accident

An eyewitness told the PUNCH newspaper: ‘It was a convoy of two vehicles: a Lexus SUV and a Pajero SUV.

Joshua was sitting behind the driver with another person. There was also a passenger sitting next to the driver, resulting in four passengers in the Lexus that crashed. The security team was in the vehicle behind them before the accident.

‘Other bystanders and I began the rescue and flagged down vehicles approaching to assist. ‘A few minutes after the accident, Federal Road Safety Corps officials arrived.’

The Nigerian President revealed on Monday that Joshua’s mother, Yeta Odusanya, rushed to his hospital bedside after receiving news of the accident.