Family supports Joshua’s return despite fears — Uncle News

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Family supports Joshua’s return despite fears — Uncle

By Daily Sports Nigeria on February 24, 2026

The uncle of two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has said the family is in full support of his planned return to boxing, even as he had earlier admitted they are always gripped by fear whenever the Nigerian-British fighter steps into the ring, The PUNCH reports.

Promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed last week that Joshua is targeting a July comeback after surviving a fatal car crash in Nigeria in December that claimed the lives of two of his close friends and members of his training team, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.

A planned March return and a subsequent fight with Tyson Fury have both been shelved.

“He was due to fight in March, then fight Tyson Fury. That’s not happening anymore. The focus for Anthony Joshua is to get back into training camp. He’s not ready to go back into training camp physically, but it’s getting closer. I think July is the time to return,” Hearn told The Sportsman.

Joshua’s uncle, Adedamola Joshua, told The PUNCH that the family stands firmly behind whatever the 36-year-old decides.

“We are proud of him, very proud of him. The way we, the elderly, think is very different from theirs, but it is all at his discretion. He makes the full decision, and we have full respect for him, whatever he decides.

“Whatever he has decided within himself, we will support him fully,” Adedamola said.

He had previously revealed that the family feels enormous emotional strain each time Joshua competes.

“Each time he’s knocked down, it is just like the heart is coming out of our chest. All these emotional feelings whenever he’s fighting, it’s too much trauma for us also,” the uncle said.

Joshua has since spoken publicly of his determination to honour his late friends through his career.

“My goal is to continue to help them achieve their goals. I’m going to do what’s right by them, I’m going to do what’s right by their family. The mission must go on,” he said.

Ghami served as Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach while Ayodele worked as his personal trainer. The pair were travelling with Joshua to visit his family in Nigeria when their Lexus SUV collided with a stationary truck on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Both men were killed instantly, while Joshua was extracted from the wreckage and hospitalised with minor injuries.

The boxer has since committed to providing lifelong support to the families of both men and attended their funeral at the London Central Mosque.

Source Punch Ng

Posted February 24, 2026