Anthony Joshua continues to recover, physically and mentally, from a tragic car accident in Nigeria late December, 2025, and his career-long boxing promoter Eddie Hearn said this week nothing is guaranteed over his comeback, whether he does so, or not.
“I don’t think there are any guarantees he fights again,” Hearn told First Round TV.
Police reports at the time said a Lexus SUV carrying Joshua and three others collided with a stationary truck on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State.
AJ, a former two-time world heavyweight champion, suffered minor hospitals, was transported to hospital, but discharged. Two of his close friends, a strength and conditioner called Sina Ghami, and trainer Latif Ayodele, were killed in the accident.
Joshua addressed the incident in an emotional video on his official YouTube channel, saying: “They’re my brothers, my friends — first and foremost. Then we became business partners, hustlers, lieutenants, generals … everything.”
Just as Joshua said that they were housemates and “living together” at one point in their lives and careers, his voice cracked and he looked down at his hands and the floor.
“It’s shame,” he said, struggling to look up.
“One day my time will come and I’m not scared, either, at all. It’s actually comforting that I’ve got two brothers on the other side.”
Prior to the accident, Joshua had been linked with a February fight against the kickboxing icon Rico Verhoeven in a crossover bout, however, with AJ taking time away from the sport, it appears Turki Alalshikh now favors Oleksandr Usyk vs Verhoeven.
It’s unclear if or when Joshua will fight again, let alone against whom.
Hearn, though, said he does still expect the future Hall of Famer to make that walk again “because it is something that he loves, and it is something he can carry those guys with him through as well and it is something he wants to do.”
“From a boxing sense, physically it wasn’t easy what he went through either. People probably don’t realise the extent of that.
“He has been training,” said Hearn, “but he is not ready yet – and won’t be for a while – to return to boxing training.”
