Boxing is Helping Joshua Cope with Loss of Friends, Hearn

Eddie Hearn, Anthony Joshua's promoter, says boxing has become a safe space for Joshua as he deals with the loss of two close friends. They died in a car crash in Nigeria last December, according to Saturday PUNCH.

Joshua was in Nigeria visiting family when the accident happened. He survived but lost his childhood friend Latif Ayodele and recovery therapist Sina Ghami. This tragedy made Joshua question his boxing future and kept him away from training for a while.

Now, Joshua is back in training, and Hearn shared with SunSport in Egypt that the gym has been key to Joshua's healing process.

"This is his kind of safe place. This is where he can focus his mind. It has been a very tough time for him, but AJ is a determined person. He is turning a lot of his grief and pain into his training," Hearn said.

"A lot of what he does is for his friends and brothers Sina and Latz. There will always be pain in his mind and heart, but he is concentrating on what he loves. He is remembering the times they trained together and worked hard."

Currently, Joshua is in Egypt to support Oleksandr Usyk. Usyk is defending his WBC heavyweight title on Saturday against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven. Hearn mentioned that training alongside Usyk has changed Joshua's mindset.

"I’ve never seen him like this. I spoke with Usyk. I wanted to thank him for allowing AJ into his camp and for the motivation he has given him. He is in one of the best training camps in the world with the pound-for-pound number one pushing him every day. He is enjoying training and is in better shape than ever. More importantly, he is motivated and excited about what is to come," Hearn said.

The change in Joshua has been so significant that he is now talking about boxing for another three years. This is different from when he mentioned that 2026 might be his last year.

"We said today that there was a time we thought 2026 might be his last year in boxing. Now, he is talking about another three years. He is really enjoying himself. This guy wants it more than ever. He is training harder than before. He is stepping out of his comfort zone to find the best environment for him. He has found that in this training camp," Hearn said.

Joshua is set to return to the ring on July 25 in Riyadh against Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga. This will be his first fight since the accident. Contracts are already signed for a long-awaited match with Tyson Fury, which they are aiming for in November.