British boxing superstar and former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has been injured in a serious road accident in Nigeria that claimed two lives. The incident occurred on Monday on a major highway connecting Ogun state to Lagos, the nation's bustling commercial capital.
Viral Videos Capture Dramatic Rescue
Disturbing footage circulating widely on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) shows the aftermath of the collision. In one clip, a shirtless Anthony Joshua is seen grimacing in pain as he is carefully extracted from a severely damaged vehicle, seemingly from a passenger seat. A man in a suit assists from behind while others help from the front, with a group of onlookers gathered at the crash site.
Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso, confirmed the accident in a post on X, stating that government ambulances were promptly dispatched to the location. According to local media reports, the injured boxer was transported to a hospital for medical treatment.
Official Report Points to Speeding
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) provided initial findings on the cause of the tragic crash. Spokesperson Olusegun Ogungbemide, in a report by the Associated Press, indicated that the vehicle carrying Joshua was "travelling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit" on that stretch of road. The driver reportedly lost control during an overtaking manoeuvre and collided with a stationary truck parked by the roadside.
Photos released by the FRSC, as per AFP, show a heavily wrecked black SUV and what appears to be blood stains on the road surface. The damaged car was later towed to a police station in the nearby town of Sagamu.
Family 'Shocked', Pray for Recovery
A family member of Anthony Joshua, who spoke to the BBC on condition of anonymity, expressed the family's shock upon hearing the news. "We are hoping for his speedy recovery and also the people who passed away - I pray for the departed to rest in peace," the relative stated. They added that Joshua was en route from Lagos to the family home, a visit they had been expecting as he often travels to Nigeria around the New Year.
Nigeria holds deep personal significance for the boxer; it is the ancestral home of his parents, and he spent a part of his childhood there, attending a boarding school at age 11.
Anthony Joshua, born on 15 October 1989, is a two-time former unified world heavyweight champion, having held the titles from 2017 to 2019 and again from 2019 to 2021. The Olympic gold medallist recently fought and defeated YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami on December 19, a bout seen as preparation for his quest to reclaim the world title he lost to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021. Talks are also ongoing for a potential blockbuster fight against fellow Briton Tyson Fury in 2026.
