Authorities said that former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua was injured Monday in a traffic accident in Nigeria that left two people dead. The Nigerian-British boxer sustained minor injuries and is in stable condition following the crash, which occurred along a major highway near his ancestral hometown.
According to Ogun State police, Joshua was traveling in the back seat of a Lexus SUV on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway near Sagamu at about 11 a.m. local time when the vehicle collided with a stationary truck parked along the roadside. The exact circumstances remain under investigation.
The Ogun State Police Command said in a statement “The vehicle conveying Anthony Joshua, a Lexus SUV, was involved in the accident under circumstances that are currently being investigated. He was seated in the rear of the vehicle, sustained minor injuries and is receiving medical attention. Tragically, two other passengers in the vehicle lost their lives at the scene,” they added.
Authorities provided differing preliminary explanations for the crash. Ogun State Police Commissioner Lanre Ogunlowo told ESPN the collision followed a tire blowout that caused the driver to lose control. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps said early findings suggested the SUV may have been traveling above the speed limit while overtaking before striking the parked truck.
Joshua and another passenger were taken to a specialized medical facility in Lagos, where doctors determined neither required emergency treatment. In a joint statement, the Ogun and Lagos state governments said, “Joshua is conscious and has been in communication with his family,” adding that a full medical team would continue to monitor his condition.
Images circulating on social media showed the 36-year-old being helped from the wreckage, visibly in pain. His promoter, Eddie Hearn, said he learned of the incident while on vacation. “We are trying to contact Anthony and in the meantime we don’t want to speculate on how he is, but thankfully he appears OK from what I have seen in the images,” Hearn told Daily Mail Sport.
Joshua was in Nigeria on holiday following his recent return to the ring just nine days ago, where he scored a sixth-round knockout of YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami, a bout watched by millions worldwide on Netflix. The win marked Joshua’s 29th victory in 33 professional fights and was seen as a step toward a potential future showdown with longtime rival Tyson Fury. Paul responded to news of the crash with a message of support on social media, writing, “Life is much more important than boxing. I am praying for the lost lives, AJ and anyone impacted by today’s unfortunate accident.”
Joshua, born to Nigerian parents, spent part of his childhood in the country. He first rose to international prominence by winning super heavyweight gold at the 2012 London Olympics and later held multiple world heavyweight titles before losing them to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021.
Police said further updates would be released as the investigation continues, while government officials requested privacy for Joshua and the families affected by the tragedy.
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