Anthony Joshua has opened up on the tragic car crash that claimed the lives of his two close friends, saying it didn't change him, but he "definitely looks at things differently" as a result.
Joshua and friends Sina Ghami and Latif "Latz" Ayodele were involved in a car crash in Nigeria in December. Ghami and Ayodele were killed, while Joshua sustained moderate injuries.
The British heavyweight will fight for the first time since then Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia [DAZN, 11 p.m.], taking on Kristian Prenga in what is expected to be a tuneup bout before a bout with Tyson Fury in November.
However, it's also the first camp and fight week Joshua has had since the incident in Lagos.
Asked if what happened has changed him, Joshua told Sun Sport: "Has it changed me? My core self is strong, so to change my core self, no. But I definitely look at things a lot differently.
"Fate is something you can never predict. You just don't know. Just like that, things can change."
While those around him have said Joshua is in top physical shape ahead of his return, he insists he is strong mentally as well despite what he has endured this year.
"Look at it this way ... I'm not going to make it about me because someone's just lost their mum, someone's just lost their dad, so you have to keep it together. It is hard but if you let it get to you, it will ruin you," Joshua said.
"What I mean by that is, so many people are going through the same situation and you've just got to humble yourself and not make it all about you. The whole world, unfortunately, doesn't stop for my situation.
"I've just got to keep myself together. If I was to let it get to me I would end up going crazy. It hurts a lot, but you've just got to hold it together."
Matchroom Sport chair Barry Hearn, who along with son and promoter Eddie signed Joshua after he won gold at the 2012 Olympics, told ESPN this week he believes the former two-time unified champion has a renewed focus after the crash.
"Coming through that disaster with his friends dying like that, in a bizarre way has given him the feeling that he's been spared for a purpose," Hearn said.
"He wants it to be hard [work] because he knows he's got to pay a price and he's ready to inflict some serious pain on Saturday that's for sure."
Joshua has said he never considered walking away from boxing as it is his "purpose" while he is also focused on supporting the families of Ghami and Ayodele.
