A controversial theory has emerged from UFC’s Bryce Mitchell following the serious car collision that took two lives in Nigeria on Monday morning while British boxing star Anthony Joshua was a passenger in the vehicle.
Mitchell posted a video suggesting a sinister connection between Joshua‘s recent opponent Jake Paul and the tragic accident that occurred along the Lagos Ibadan expressway.
“If you don’t let Jake Paul win, he’s going to end your life nine days later or just end your two best friends. But somebody is going to pass if you don’t let him win,” Mitchell stated in the video.
The timing Mitchell references relates to Joshua‘s dominant sixth round stoppage win over YouTube personality Paul in Miami just weeks before the Monday incident. That December contest reportedly earned Joshua £70 million and drew more than 30 million viewers on Netflix.
Joshua, 36, was traveling in the rear seat of a black Lexus SUV when it collided with a stationary truck near a petrol station in Makun around 11am local time. The former two time heavyweight champion sustained minor injuries and received hospital treatment, but two other passengers lost their lives at the scene.
According to authorities, the Lexus was traveling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit and lost control during an overtaking maneuver. The vehicle carried four occupants including Joshua while his security team followed in a separate vehicle.
Lanre Ogunlowo, Commissioner of Ogun State Police, confirmed the incident to the press.
“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 captured a visibly shaken Joshua, shirtless and appearing disoriented, sitting among shattered glass in the wrecked Lexus. He was later seen in an emergency vehicle speaking with officials before transport for medical care.
An eyewitness who assisted 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 added,
“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.”
Hours before the collision, Joshua had posted an Instagram story at 9:30am local time showing him playing table tennis with long time friend and personal trainer Kevin Ayodele. The clip shared with his 18 million followers showed a smiling Joshua with the message @healthy_mindset dishing out table tennis smoke.
Joshua‘s promoter Eddie Hearn addressed the situation with Daily Mail Sport.
“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 revealed the psychological impact on the boxer.
“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 fortunate 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 maintains deep family roots in Sagamu, a town in Ogun State, Nigeria and bears a tattoo of Africa on his right shoulder as tribute to his heritage. Both parents are Nigerian and he makes regular visits to the country.
The timing raises questions about Joshua‘s planned return to competition. He had been expected to compete in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in February, with speculation mounting about a potential high profile contest with Tyson Fury.
Following the Paul win, both Joshua and Hearn 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 do it in February or March. I think he’s saying eight weeks, 24 hours to sign a contract.”
Joshua acknowledged 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.
Mitchell‘s claims have not been substantiated by any evidence or official investigation and no connection between Paul and the accident has been established by authorities.
