Anthony Joshua retirement truth after uncle claimed boxer has quit

Anthony Joshua was involved in a fatal car crash last week when the vehicle he was travelling in collided with a stationary truck in Nigeria, killing two of his friends

Anthony Joshua has no plans to retire from boxing after cheating death in a fatal car crash last week.

The former heavyweight world champion escaped with minor injuries from the smash in Nigeria which killed two of his close friends. Joshua attended the funerals of Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami in London last Sunday after flying home with his mum. The 36-year-old has made no public comment about the accident or his future in the sport.

Joshua, who knocked out Jake Paul last month, had been expected to return to the ring as early as Valentine's Day in Saudi Arabia. He is also pencilled in to face bitter rival Tyson Fury in September after Fury announced he was ending his year-long retirement. But while a man purporting to be Joshua's uncle claimed his nephew had told his family he intends to hang up his gloves, it is understood no such decision has been made.

Adedamola Joshua told The Punch in Nigeria: "The major thing there is that he has retired from boxing. That is one thing that makes us glad because each time he's fighting in the ring, we are always carried away emotionally."

Joshua had been in Nigeria - his parents' homeland - on holiday following his win over Paul when his car crashed into a stationary truck on one of the country's deadliest roads. Joshua's driver was last week charged with causing death by dangerous driving, reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care, and driving without a valid driver's licence.

Joshua's only public comment was a social media post on the morning of his friends' funerals. The former two-time unified world heavyweight champion posted two images on Instagram on Sunday, sitting alongside his mother and three other women, one of whom clutched a photograph of Ghami. He captioned the post ‘My Brothers Keeper’.

Fury, meanwhile, has insisted he is not returning to the ring for a pay day. The 37-year-old retired 12 months ago following his second successive defeat by Oleksandr Usyk but has now performed a predictable U-turn.

And he said: "I have literally won everything from regional belts in England to super world titles... fighter of the year twice. Ring Magazine twice. WBC.... every one of them. Every world title I have fought for... for me, there is nothing else other than the fight game. I love this fight game. There is nothing in it for financial gain.

"I could have retired 10 years ago. I've made an absolute fortune. It's not about the money, although, I always want a good deal for sure. It's mainly about the love of the fight game and the sport. I'm 37, I'm 38 this year, I am older than a motherf*****, but I love to fight. I have zero other interests... only fighting."