How Anthony Joshua Cheated Death, Returns To UK For Pals’ Funeral Sunday

World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Anthony Joshua has landed back in the United Kingdom and is recovering at home following the car crash in Nigeria that killed two of his close friends.

The funerals of Joshua’s strength coach Sina Ghami and his personal trainer Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele will take place on Sunday 4 January at London Central Mosque after the pair were killed in the horror road traffic accident near Lagos this week.

The heavyweight boxer landed at London Stansted Airport on Friday night and is recuperating at his mansion. It is unclear whether he will attend the funeral.

It comes after Daily Mail Sport exclusively revealed how AJ cheated death following a last-minute decision before the Lexus SUV he travelled in set off for its tragic journey.

The World Champion boxer, 36, swapped seats from the front to the back of his SUV before the smash which killed Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele just hours after they arrived in Nigeria for a holiday.

In addition, Joshua’s driver did not have a valid driver’s licence before the smash on Nigeria’s most deadly road which hospitalised the multi-millionaire boxer.

The jaw-dropping revelation emerged at the hearing for his driver Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 47, in Sagamu High Court on Friday, at which he denied all charges against him which included dangerous driving.

Kayode was wearing a black Muslim kaftan and pleaded not guilty when the charges were read out to him by the clerk as members of his family attended. He claims he is innocent and the brakes failed.

Kayode, who has worked for Joshua for more than three years, was granted bail and rushed away by police to Sagamu Correctional Centre for paperwork to be completed.

The driver’s lawyer Olalekan Abiodun told the Daily Mail: ’My client has pleaded not guilty and what happened was an accident, I haven’t had a full chance to speak with him yet but I know he is saying the brakes did not work.

“I also understand that the journey started in Lagos and that initially Anthony had got into the front seat but the driver asked him to swap seats.”

He did this because Anthony is a big fellow and he couldn’t see the wing mirror properly so he asked him to move and he sat behind the driver.

“From what I understand Latif was in front and then changed seats with Anthony.”

Bail was set at 5 million Naira (£2,580) but under the Nigerian system this doesn’t have to be cash and valuables are admissible.

The chauffeur that crashed the car carrying Joshua on Monday was 47-year-old Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode. He did not have a valid driver’s licence

Kayode was charged on four counts including dangerous driving causing death, reckless and negligent driving, driving without care and attention and driving without a valid drivers license.

His case was adjourned to 20th January this year for his trial.

Outside court the driver’s wife was too hysterical to speak but his son told the Daily Mail his father was innocent and it was ‘just an unlucky accident’.

Ifeoluwa Adeniyi, 19, said: ‘The family is very upset by what’s happened and we are sorry for the deaths of the two people.

“Dad is not a fast driver, he was following the speed limit and then the brakes failed, he said he was pushing the pedal but nothing was happening.

“He tries to swerve and avoid the truck parked by the side of the road but hit it. He’s been driving for Anthony for three years, he’s a good driver.

“I know that when the journey started in Lagos Anthony was sitting in the front by the driver but my dad asked him to sit behind because he was blocking his view.

“He was taking Anthony to see his family in Sagamu and had picked them up from the airport and they were only a few minutes from arriving.”

 

Culled from Daily Mail