Anthony Joshua's Alleged Retirement From Boxing Echoes After Fatal Car Accident

Anthony Joshua has reportedly taken a major career decision!

The former boxing champion may have now finally permanently bade farewell to the career he has always known, following the recent loss of two of his closest friends, including his trainer.

Anthony Joshua survived the accident that occurred on the Sagamu axis of Nigeria's Lagos-Ibadan expressway on December 29, 2025, and has since jetted out to the United Kingdom for the burial of his friends.

The athlete's uncle told news sources today that he has communicated his intention to retire from the boxing ring to the family privately, and they are okay with the decision.

"The major thing there is that he has retired from boxing. That is one thing that makes us glad because each time he's fighting in the ring, we are always carried away emotionally," Adedamola Joshua revealed at the family's Sagamu home.

Adedamola noted that it was always an emotional rollercoaster watching Anthony go at it with his opponents in the ring, and sometimes the trauma gets too much to bear.

His uncle affirmed to Nigerian media house, The Punch correspondent, that his decision to step down now that the ovation is at its loudest was an absolutely welcomed idea by the family.

Joshua broke his silence since the ghastly accident when he posted a picture of himself spending time with Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele's family. In the picture, the boxer was dressed in a green two-piece and flanked by four women on a couch, with one of them holding a picture of Ghami.

As shared by The Blast, the four women looked far from pleased in the picture as they all appeared with sunken eyes. In the second frame, Anthony sat on the floor with another man who seemed visibly upset.

He captioned the picture "My brother's keeper," seemingly making a promise to look after his close pals' loved ones. The comment section was filled with words of support and well-wishes from his fans and followers.

Anthony's loss comes 10 days after he knocked Jake Paul out in a ring battle livestreamed on Netflix.

As noted by The Blast, first responders on the scene stated that Anthony's injuries were minor and he was eventually discharged from the hospital on New Year's Eve.

Officials from the Ogun State government emphasized that his condition was stable and he required little emergency intervention. However, a medical team was fully on the ground in case of any new development.

However, observers are claiming that officials are downplaying the whole situation, judging from the wreckage of the car Anthony was rescued from.

The athlete's Lexus, according to images released by law enforcement officials, was utterly destroyed from the impact of the accident, with the rear part suffering the most damage, the doors ripped off, and the roof crushed.

Anthony's appearance after the crash sparked reports of possible knee and rib damage as he was surrounded by shattered glass while inside the affected vehicle, shirtless.

The Blast noted that Anthony's trip to Nigeria was to get a short break and refuel for the bouts of training that would prelude his fight against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven, set to take place in Saudi Arabia by March.

The fight with Verhoeven would be a forerunner to the proposed $135 million fight against Tyson Fury later in the year. As the news of his accident filtered through the air, speculations began to emerge about his mental and physical readiness for the match.

Discussions were also centered on his mental state for the match, especially after he witnessed two important people on his team die while seated in the exact vehicle with him.

Anthony escaped death by a close shave as the non-driver side of the car absorbed the impact while Joshua was sitting right behind the driver's seat.

The boxer's driver, identified as Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, was arrested and charged in connection with the accident last week.

He reportedly appeared on January 2 at the Sagamu Magistrate's court, facing charges including dangerous driving, reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care, and driving without a valid driver's license.

The case was promptly adjourned till January 20 as the boxer continued to mourn the loss of his friend. The charges leveled against Adeniyi matched the claims of the Federal Road Safety Corps, which expressed in their statement that the vehicle was moving above the required speed limit on the busy expressway.

"The primary causes of the crash, being excessive speed and wrongful overtaking, constitute serious traffic violations and remain among the leading causes of fatal road crashes on Nigerian highways," the statement continued.

Anthony's vehicle reportedly experienced a burst tire while in motion, causing the driver to lose control and crash into a parked truck.

Will Anthony Joshua make any official announcement regarding a retirement soon?