Lagos: Anthony Joshua, the two-time former world heavyweight champion from Britain, was in a stable condition in the hospital after being involved in a car crash in Nigeria that killed two people who were close friends and team members, his promoter said.
Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing said on X that Joshua “sustained injuries in the accident and was taken to hospital Monday for checks and treatment” and he will “remain there for observation.” It named Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele as the two passengers who had “tragically passed away.”
Photos on social media showed Joshua being extricated from a wrecked vehicle while he was wincing in pain.
“Following thorough clinical evaluations, medical professionals have confirmed that both patients (hospitalized after the accident) are stable and do not require any emergency medical intervention at this time,” a joint statement by Lagos and Ogun state governments said.
The Lagos state commissioner for information, Gbenga Omotoso, confirmed the accident in a post on X, adding that the government had sent ambulances to the crash site.
The crash occurred on a major thoroughfare — the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway which links Ogun state to Lagos, the country’s economic capital — at about 11 a.m. local time. Nigeria is the homeland of Joshua’s parents.
Ogun State Police earlier said in a statement: “The vehicle conveying Mr. Joshua, a Lexus SUV, was involved in the accident under circumstances that are currently being investigated. Joshua, seated in the rear of the vehicle, sustained minor injuries and is receiving medical attention with another injured person.” According to Olusegun Ogungbemide, spokesperson for the Federal Road Safety Corps, preliminary investigations indicated the vehicle was “traveling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit on the corridor, lost control during an overtaking maneuver and crashed into a stationary truck.”