British boxing star Anthony Joshua narrowly escaped serious harm after being involved in a tragic vehicle collision on Monday morning that claimed two lives along Nigeria’s Lagos Ibadan expressway.
The former two time heavyweight champion, 36, was traveling in the rear seat of a Lexus SUV when it collided with a stationary truck near a petrol station in Makun around 11am local time. While Joshua sustained minor injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment, two other passengers lost their lives at the scene.
According to authorities, the black Lexus was traveling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit and lost control during an overtaking maneuver. The vehicle, carrying four occupants including Joshua, crashed into the parked truck while his security team followed behind in a separate vehicle.
CP Lanre Ogunlowo, Commissioner of Ogun State Police, confirmed the incident.
“I can confirm an accident occurred and Anthony Joshua has been taken to hospital. A vehicle rammed into a stationary vehicle. Unfortunately, there were two fatalities. Anthony Joshua was treated by first responders at the scene and then taken to hospital.”
Footage from the scene shows a visibly shaken Joshua, shirtless and appearing disoriented, sitting among shattered glass in the wrecked Lexus. He was later seen in the front seat of an emergency vehicle speaking with officials before being transported for medical care.
An eyewitness who helped with the rescue described the scene to Punch newspaper.
“It was a two vehicle convoy: a Lexus SUV and a Pajero SUV. Joshua was seated behind the driver, with another person beside him. There was also a passenger sitting beside the driver, making four occupants in the Lexus that crashed. His security detail was in the vehicle behind them before the crash.”
The witness continued.
“Other eyewitnesses and I began the rescue and flagged down oncoming vehicles to assist. A few minutes after the crash, officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps arrived.”
Just hours before the collision, Joshua had shared an Instagram story at 9:30am local time showing him playing table tennis with his long time friend and personal trainer Kevin Ayodele. The clip, posted to his 18 million followers, showed a smiling Joshua rallying with Ayodele, accompanied by the message.
“@healthy_mindset dishing out table tennis smoke.”
His strength and conditioning coach Sina Ghami had also shared an Instagram story believed to show the back of the Lexus approximately 90 minutes before the collision occurred.
Joshua‘s promoter Eddie Hearn spoke to Daily Mail Sport following news of the collision.
“We are trying to contact Anthony and in the meantime we don’t want to speculate on how he is but thankfully he appears okay from what I have seen in the images. We are awaiting more information on what has happened and will update in due course.”
A friend of Joshua indicated the boxer was deeply affected by the experience.
“He’s okay but badly shaken up. Nobody knows quite what damage has been done, but was able to escape the wreckage. Others weren’t quite so lucky so it’s been a traumatic ordeal which he’s trying to process.”
Oluseyi Babaseyi, police spokesperson for Ogun State, provided additional details.
“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.”
The heavyweight boxer has deep family roots in Sagamu, a town in Ogun State, Nigeria, and bears a tattoo of Africa on his right shoulder as a tribute to his heritage. Both of his parents are Nigerian and he makes regular visits to the country.
This incident occurred just weeks after Joshua‘s dominant sixth round knockout win over YouTuber Jake Paul in Miami, a contest that reportedly earned him £70 million and was viewed by more than 30 million people on Netflix. Following that December bout, Joshua had returned to Britain before embarking on a pre planned week long visit to Nigeria.
The timing of the accident raises questions about Joshua‘s planned return to the ring. He had been expected to compete in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in February, with speculation mounting about a potential superfight with Tyson Fury.
Following his win over Paul, both Joshua and Hearn had expressed eagerness to finalize the long awaited matchup with Fury, who was expected to come out of retirement after consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2024.
“We want the Tyson Fury “
Hearn said after the Paul bout.
“If Tyson’s ready and AJ is ready, we don’t have to () in February or March. I think he’s saying eight weeks, 24 hours to sign a contract.”
Joshua echoed those sentiments, acknowledging his readiness while deferring to his training team’s guidance.
“The best promoter in the world has been speaking with Turki [Al Sheikh], His Excellency, Riyadh Season, and now he’s going to relay those messages and speak to my training team. I’m a strong guy. I want to push on, but the coaches, it’s really up to them, they’re the ones that guide me.”
The boxer’s condition and recovery timeline remain the immediate priority as the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision continues. The two fatalities serve as a sobering reminder of the dangers on Nigerian roadways, where speeding and overtaking maneuvers frequently lead to tragedy.
