Culture
British boxer Anthony Joshua injured in a fatal car accident in Nigeria
Anthony Joshua Suffers Minor Injuries After a Fatal Car Accident in Nigeria
British former world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua was one of the two people in a car accident which resulted in two fatalities in Nigeria’s Ogun State, the local police have said.
The 36-year-old Joshua, together with his driver, escaped the accident on the Lagos–Ibadan expressway with minor injuries after the Lexus SUV they were in collided with a second vehicle on Monday.
Ogun State police spokesman Oluseyi Babaseyi explained in a news release: “Joshua’s vehicle, a Lexus SUV, was involved in the accident, and the police are still conducting further investigations on the case.”
Anthony Joshua Involved in Accident in Nigeria that Resulted in Two Deaths
According to the police, Anthony Joshua was located in the back seat of the Lexus SUV when the accident occurred. “He was in the back of the car, got minor injuries and is luckily getting medical care,” said Oluseyi Babaseyi, spokesperson for the police in Ogun State.
There was no immediate response from Joshua for a comment.
Photos circulated on social networks seemingly depict the former heavyweight champ being supported as he comes out of a severely wrecked car, shows signs of pain.
The collision took place on the Lagos–Ibadan expressway, a major route linking Ogun State to Lagos, which is the commercial capital of Nigeria.
Officials Say Speeding SUV Lost Control Before Fatal Crash Involving Anthony Joshua
According to officials from Nigeria, preliminary investigations reveal that the crash resulting in the death of one of Anthony Joshua’s occupants was primarily due to a speeding vehicle performing a dangerous manoeuvre.
The Lexus SUV was “travelling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit on the corridor” when it suddenly “lost control during an overtaking manoeuvre” and consequently, crashed into a stationary truck parked by the side of the road, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) spokesperson Olusegun Ogungbemide said, referring to the first stages of their investigation.
Adeniyi Orojo, a witness, also told a Nigerian newspaper named The Punch that Joshua’s car was a Lexus that got into a collision with a vehicle that was parked.
“Joshua was behind the driver and there was one other person beside him,” he added.
Anthony Joshua’s Crash: What Happened and Career Recap
Witness Adeniyi Orojo told The Punch that there were four people in the Lexus: the driver, a passenger in the front seat, Anthony Joshua behind the driver, and another passenger between them. “His security was traveling in the vehicle behind them before the accident,” Orojo said. The witness added, “The person beside the driver and the one who sat beside Joshua were immediately killed.”
Born to British-Nigerian parents, Joshua was at a boarding school in Ikenne, a town some 85 km (53 miles) away from the accident site, before he left for Britain at the age of 12.
After his December 19 fight against YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul – a fight Joshua won by a sixth-round knockout, the ex-heavyweight champion has been in Nigeria. The fight was his comeback after being off the ring for 15 months, and he is slated to battle Tyson Fury, his longtime rival, in 2026.
