Joshua attends Chisora vs Wilder in first public appearance since car crash
Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua attended the Derek Chisora and Deontay Wilder fight in London on Saturday
Anthony Joshua was in attendance for Derek Chisora vs Deontay Wilder(Image: Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Anthony Joshua attended Saturday’s heavyweight fight between Derek Chisora and Deontay Wilder at London’s O2 Arena. It is the former heavyweight champion’s first public appearance since he was involved in a fatal car crash in Nigeria late-last year.
The 36-year-old lost two of his close friends and team members, Sina Ghami and Kevin Latif, in December’s accident. Joshua was travelling in a black Lexus Jeep during the incident, which is said to have collided with a stationary truck parked at the side of the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.
The driver of the vehicle carrying Joshua, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care, and driving without a valid driver’s licence. The 46-year-old appeared at Sagamu Magistrates Court in Ogun state near Lagos in February.
Joshua returned to the UK in early January after being discharged from hospital. The former Olympic champion has since returned to the gym as he continues his recovery.
And he has now been spotted in public for the first time since the tragic crash – taking in Saturday night’s fight between Chisora and Wilder.
Watch Chisora vs Wilder live on DAZN
British boxer Derek Chisora will face American Deontay Wilder at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday, April 4.
Fans can order the fight for £24.99 with DAZN pay-per-view or get it free with the new DAZN Ultimate Tier.
The heavyweight bout will see Britain’s Chisora return to the ring for the first time in over a year in his final fight. His most recent outing was a unanimous decision win over Otto Wallin in February 2025.
The 42-year-old will be looking to bow out with a win over America’s Wilder, who has won just two of his last six fights.
There have been concerns that Joshua could soon follow Chisora into retirement from boxing after the crash.
However, promoter Eddie Hearn has recently shared his belief to Sky Sports that Joshua will return to boxing when he has had time to heal.
He said: “He will need his time physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually before he makes a decision on his future. I do think he will want to return to boxing, but that will be his decision when the time is right.
“It is certainly not a conversation I’ll be having with him any time soon. The only conversation is ‘are you OK?’ and sometimes we find people will give that facade of being OK, but what happened to him is not normal and heartbreaking for all involved.
“When the time is right, I believe he will make his decision and you will hear it from him.
“That is the only voice you should listen to in that respect and we’ll give him his time to make that decision and heal.”