Anthony Joshua back in gym after car crash - as Eddie Hearn addresses whether boxer will return to ring

Anthony Joshua has returned to the gym for some "mental strength therapy" - weeks after a car crash which killed two of his close friends.

The former world heavyweight champion, 36, was travelling in the back of a black SUV last month when it struck a stationary truck on a major road near Lagos in Nigeria, killing Sina Ghami and Latif 'Latz' Ayodele.

Joshua survived the incident with minor injuries.

Despite warnings from his camp that he may be out of action for a while, the boxer shared footage online of himself hitting pads with a trainer on Thursday.

He captioned the clip, which he posted on Instagram, "Mental Strength Therapy".

On Wednesday, promoter Eddie Hearn played down suggestions that Joshua would be back in the ring soon.

He told Sky Sports: "That's not a conversation that I think anyone's comfortable in having in terms of asking what could be next or what he's thinking.

"That's something that has to come next. You need someone to have their time and to just be left alone, really, to get over, like I said, not just a terrible incident, but just one that you can never prepare for in life.

"You never, ever want to see anybody you know in any kind of this situation.

"It's heartbreaking. And when the time is right, I believe he will make his decision. You'll hear it from him.

"The future of Anthony Joshua will be told by Anthony Joshua. And that's the only voice you should listen to in that respect.

"And we'll give him his time to make that decision and to heal specifically in many different ways.

"What happened to him is not normal and it's heartbreaking for everybody involved, particularly the families of Sina and Latz, who were so incredibly loved."

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Joshua posted a tribute to the pair last week in a social media post.

He said: "Thank you for all the love and care you have shown my brothers. I didn't even realise how special they are.

"I'll just be walking with them and cracking jokes with them, not even knowing God kept me in the presence of great men.

"100% it's tough for me, but I know it's even tougher for their parents."

Mr Ghami, who had been part of Joshua's team for more than a decade, was a qualified sports and exercise rehabilitator specialising in musculoskeletal injuries and corrective exercise.

Mr Ayodele, an old friend of the boxer, was a personal trainer.

Earlier this month, Nigerian Police confirmed the driver of the Lexus SUV, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, had been charged on four counts.

The charges include dangerous driving causing death, reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care and attention and driving without a valid national driver's licence.

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