Nigerian UFC legend Kamaru Usman has publicly apologised after a private FaceTime conversation with British boxing star Anthony Joshua was inadvertently shared online, sparking criticism across the combat sports community.
The video surfaced shortly after a fatal road accident involving Joshua in Nigeria last week.
Read Also: “I Just Realised Latz, Ghami’s Greatness” — Anthony Joshua Pays Emotional Tribute to Lost Friends
The heavyweight boxer was a passenger in a Lexus SUV that collided with a stationary truck on a major expressway near Lagos.
The crash claimed the lives of two of his close friends and training partners, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.
The brief clip, which circulated on social media, showed Joshua speaking with Usman via FaceTime just hours after the incident. Recorded on December 30 before an MMA event in Lagos, the footage captured Joshua seated in a treatment room, visibly injured with bandages on his head and torso, reflecting on the tragedy.
Several media outlets declined to publish the full details of the conversation out of respect for Joshua’s privacy.
Following public backlash, Usman took responsibility for the leak and issued a heartfelt apology on X (formerly Twitter).
“After seeing what’s being written, it’s quite heartbreaking,” Usman wrote. “Being on camera that whole day in preparation for The AKO show, it completely slipped my mind that my conversation was recorded. I realised after and asked about it. I take full responsibility for not properly watching the video that was released and for not keeping my private conversation with my brother AJ private.
“That’s not something I would ever do to a friend or brother.”
The deaths of Ghami and Ayodele have drawn widespread tributes from athletes and fans around the world. Their funerals were held on Sunday at a mosque in London, attended by family, friends, and members of the boxing community.
Joshua has also pledged to support the families of the deceased for life.
