Two of boxer Anthony Joshua’s closest friends, Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele and Sina Ghami, have been named as the victims of a fatal car crash in Nigeria on Monday, in which Joshua narrowly escaped death.
Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele have been confirmed dead after travelling as passengers in a Lexus that former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua was also in.
According to reports, the vehicle collided with a stationary truck on a busy stretch of the Lagos–Ibadan expressway at around 11am local time on Monday, December 29.
The crash occurred while Joshua was holidaying in Nigeria, just 10 days after his high-profile fight with Jake Paul.
Joshua, whose full name is Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua, is of Nigerian heritage.
Tributes have poured in online following the deaths of Ghami and Ayodele, who were regarded as two of Joshua’s closest friends and key members of his inner circle and training camps. Ghami served as Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach, while Ayodele was his personal trainer. Both men were 36 years old.
Who were Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele and Sina Ghami?
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Just eight hours before the crash, Ayodele, also known as Latz or @healthy_mindset on social media, was seen playing table tennis with Anthony Joshua in a video shared on his Instagram account.
Ayodele was born Kevin Ayodele before converting to Islam in 2012 and adopting the name Abdul Latif, shortened to Latz. Islam was a significant part of his life, and he regularly posted about his spiritual journey, sharing images of himself at mosques, performing Umrah, and praying in various locations.
Sina was of Iranian heritage.
In a pinned post on his Instagram account, Ayodele wrote: “Finding Islam in 2012 has been my biggest blessing, alhamdulillah. It allowed me to meet so many good brothers, Muslim and non-Muslim, and build a strong brotherhood.
“Allah has truly blessed me in this dunya and I will be forever grateful, alhamdulillah.”
Boxing expert Steve Bunce said Ghami and Ayodele were a “massive part of the Anthony Joshua machine”.
“They’ve been with him, if not from the start, at least very early on. Latz is AJ’s personal trainer and Sina is his strength and conditioning man. They are with him all the time,” Bunce said. He is a columnist for The Independent.
“He calls them his boys. They’re more than that. They are friends. They may have strict jobs, whether as his strength and conditioning coach, personal trainer, dietitian or nutritionist, but they’re close, and he values that tight circle.”
Charity work in Africa
Ayodele was also known for his involvement in charitable projects around the world, particularly initiatives supporting orphans across Africa.
He volunteered with and raised funds for Spot Project, a UK-based Muslim humanitarian charity that supports orphans and underprivileged youth in The Gambia. Ayodele regularly visited schools, orphanages, mosques and other facilities being built by the charity, where he led fitness sessions for children and worked to motivate and inspire them.
Many prominent Muslims have posted tributes and made dua for Ayodele online, including Sonny Bill Williams, as well as close friends such as spoken-word poet Muslim Belal and Mustafa Briggs.
A fundraiser has also been launched to build a mosque in Ayodele’s memory, which has so far raised more than £100,000.
In a statement, the fundraiser’s organiser said he was “absolutely devastated” by Ayodele’s death in the crash.
“Just last night I sent him a WhatsApp message, and a few weeks ago I had a barbecue with him in Dubai with Badou Jack. We were talking about him coming back to The Gambia to continue supporting the orphans,” the statement read.
“SubhanAllah, the plan Allah chose for him was different.
“I’m absolutely shocked that he died today, and I want to be among those who help keep his legacy alive. That is why we’ve decided to build a masjid in his memory and uphold his legacy.”
