Anthony Joshua: British boxer injured in car crash that killed two in Nigeria

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua escaped with minor injuries in a car crash that killed two of his associates on Monday, according to Nigerian authorities.

The incident occurred around 11 a.m. (5 a.m. ET) on a busy stretch of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, which connects Ogun to the commercial center of Lagos, local police in Ogun state reported.

Joshua, who has family ties in Ogun, sustained only “minor bruises,” but Boluwatife said two other occupants in the vehicle with him, including the driver, were killed. Those who died were foreign nationals, Ogun officials said.

“Anthony Joshua is well and responding to treatment,” Babaseyi Boluwatife, a spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, told CNN.

Boxer Anthony Joshua gets into an emergency vehicle after being involved in a car crash on Monday. Sodiq Ayo/Reuters

Joshua’s friends Sina Ghami and Kevin Latif Ayodele were killed in the crash, according to Joshua’s promoter, Matchroom Boxing, and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“I have spoken with AJ to personally convey my condolences over the passing of his two close associates, Kevin Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami in the recent accident,” Tinubu wrote on X. “I wished him a full and speedy recovery, and prayed with him. AJ assured me he is receiving the best possible care.”

Ghami was Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach and frequently traveled with him in Nigeria, according to social media videos. Ayodele was Joshua’s personal trainer and could be seen playing ping pong with him in a video posted to his Instagram story just hours before the accident.

Joshua previously held three of the four major world championship belts in boxing and secured a gold medal in the super heavyweight category at the 2012 Summer Olympics while competing for Great Britain.

Anthony Joshua speaks at a news conference in Miami after his bout against Jake Paul earlier this month. Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

The fatal crash happened just over a week after he achieved a knockout win against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in their heavyweight bout in Miami on December 19. Joshua broke Paul’s jaw during the fight.

“Life is much more important than boxing,” Paul posted to X. “I am praying for the lost lives, AJ and anyone impacted by today’s unfortunate accident.”

The highway on which the crash occurred has recently been identified as the most dangerous road in Nigeria, with more than 600 fatalities over a period of 27 months, according to statistics reported by local media.

According to a statement from Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Joshua was traveling in a Lexus SUV that collided with a parked truck while attempting to overtake.

It said preliminary findings indicated that the Lexus Jeep, “which was suspected to be traveling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit on the corridor,” lost control while overtaking and crashed into the stationary truck at the side of the road.

The agency added, “The primary causes of the crash being excessive speed and wrongful overtaking constitute serious traffic violations and remain among the leading causes of fatal road crashes on Nigerian highways.”

A video showing Joshua being rescued from the wreckage has been circulating on social media. The boxer, born to Nigerian parents in Watford, near London, has stayed connected to his roots.

The Joshuas have a prominent presence in Sagamu town, in Ogun, with their lineage spanning multiple generations. Joshua embraces his Nigerian heritage, which he visibly honors with a tattoo of Africa – specifically highlighting Nigeria – on his right shoulder.

Joshua could not immediately be reached for comment.