Anthony Joshua made his first public appearance since the deaths of close friends Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele when he arrived at the O2 Arena to support Derek Chisora.
The two-time world heavyweight champion was a passenger in a fatal car crash in Nigeria on December 29 that killed Ghami and Ayodele. Joshua has kept a low profile in recent months and Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has reiterated that ‘AJ’ needs time to heal, but the pair were together on Saturday for Chisora’s 50th and possibly final fight as he faced Deontay Wilder in London.
Dressed in a white tracksuit, Joshua emerged with Hearn from a black people carrier and appeared calm as he walked into the arena past camera crews. Chisora and Joshua both came from the same Finchley amateur boxing club, and Joshua’s management company now represents Chisora.
There was no friendly greeting from old rival Wilder, who was long linked with a world title bout with Joshua. The American went straight past the London heavyweight without any acknowledgement in a tight corridor inside the O2.
Joshua last fought before Christmas when he stopped YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami, and speculation continues over a potential bout with Tyson Fury.