Anthony Joshua Hurt in Deadly Car Accident That Claimed Two Lives
An eyewitness has stated that the crash took place on the busy Lagos–Ibadan Expressway in Nigeria, where the Lexus SUV carrying Anthony Joshua reportedly slammed into a stationary truck.
Reports indicate that Joshua, who recently defeated YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, suffered only minor injuries, while two people tragically lost their lives. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the collision.
Anthony Joshua Injured in Fatal Car Crash in Nigeria
The accident occurred near Makun in Ogun State, with disturbing images circulating widely on social media. Footage shows Joshua seated inside his damaged Lexus as passers-by rushed to assist the injured occupants, including the former heavyweight champion.
Videos from the scene capture a visibly shaken Joshua being helped out of the vehicle, surrounded by people offering support. Subsequent images show him sitting in the front of an emergency vehicle, speaking with officials as he recounted the events.
Additional clips show witnesses attending to Joshua before revealing the wreckage and distressing scenes involving the victims of the crash.
Local reports cited by GB News suggest that Joshua escaped with minor injuries, while the two other passengers were pronounced dead at the scene.
Only hours before news of the incident broke, Joshua had shared a video on social media showing himself relaxing after his bout with Jake Paul in Miami. Playing table tennis with long-time friend Kevin Ayodele, he captioned the post: “@healthy_mindset dishing out table tennis smoke.”
Nigeria is a regular holiday destination for the London 2012 Olympic gold medallist, who is proud of his Nigerian roots — something symbolised by his Africa tattoo highlighting Nigeria on his right shoulder.
Speaking to Punch newspaper, an eyewitness provided further details of the incident. “It was a two-vehicle convoy consisting of a Lexus SUV and a Pajero SUV. Joshua was sitting behind the driver, with another passenger next to him. There was also a passenger in the front seat, making four people in the Lexus. His security team were travelling in the vehicle behind.
“Other witnesses and I immediately began rescue efforts and stopped passing vehicles for help. Officials from the Federal Road Safety Corps arrived shortly afterwards. Sadly, the passenger beside the driver and the one seated next to Joshua died instantly.”
Eddie Hearn Responds to Joshua Crash Reports
Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s long-time promoter and the head of Matchroom Boxing, confirmed he had spoken following the reports. Speaking to Daily Mail Sport, Hearn said he was on a family holiday when he woke up to the news and that efforts were being made to reach Joshua.
“We are trying to contact Anthony and don’t want to speculate,” Hearn said. “From the images, he appears to be okay, which is a relief. We are waiting for more information and will provide updates when we can.”
According to Daily Mail reports, Joshua was seated behind the driver in the Lexus at the time of the collision, with four occupants in total. His security detail was travelling in a separate vehicle behind them.
While Nigerian authorities later told the BBC that Joshua is “fine,” some reports claim he was taken to hospital for precautionary checks.
The crash, which occurred shortly after 11am on Monday, December 29, near Makun in Ogun State, comes just over a week after Joshua’s sixth-round knockout victory over Jake Paul, which reportedly left Paul with a fractured jaw.
