Anthony Joshua Opens Up, Gets Emotional After Fatal Car Crash That Killed Friends

Anthony Joshua is speaking on camera for the first time after he was a passenger in a fatal car accident in Nigeria that killed two people close to him ... with the boxing star thanking everyone for the support, and vowing to help their families through the difficult time.

Joshua, in an emotional, six-minute video posted to his YouTube page on Thursday, opens up about the crash, which occurred on the congested Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State in southwest Nigeria, killing his trainers and longtime friends, Sina Ghami and Kevin "Latif" Ayodele.

"It's a shame," Joshua said. "What can I say, one day my time will come, and I'm not scared either at all. It's actually comforting knowing I got two brothers on the other side."

"I've lost people before, but I don't think I've lost people like that -- my left and my right. I didn't even realize that I'm the big guy, but I was walking with giants man that kept me protected, kept me shielded."

The 36-year-old said that, going forward, his focus is on helping their families achieve their goals and dreams.

"I'm gonna do what's right by them. I'm gonna do what's right by their family."

He made sure to thank the "thousands, and maybe got into the millions around the world that showed so much love" ... saying he can't wrap his head around it.

"That's mad to me cuz we just grew up like together, and then I'm like, wow, like how. [Because] I've known them as like my friends, but they built such strong characters over the years. So they must've really spent time working on themselves and bettering themselves and becoming the men they are today."

"I'm sure their parents are 100% proud of them, because I am."