Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has been injured in a road traffic collision in Nigeria, according to police.
The 36-year-old boxer was travelling in the back of a black Lexus SUV when it hit a stationary truck on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Makun, approximately 30 miles north-west of Lagos, at around midday local time on Monday.
Joshua sustained minor injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment. Two other people in the vehicle died in the crash, police confirmed.
Former world champion Anthony Joshua injured in Lagos-Ibadan Expressway crash
The Nigerian federal road safety corps (FRSC) said preliminary findings suggest the Lexus was “suspected to be travelling beyond the legally prescribed limit” and “lost control” while overtaking before crashing into the truck, which was parked by the side of the road.
“The primary causes of the crash being excessive speed and wrongful overtaking constitute serious traffic violations and remain among the leading causes of fatal road crashes on Nigerian highways,” the FRSC said on X.
Pictures released by the FRSC show the damaged Lexus Joshua was travelling in and the red Sinotruk it collided with.
Footage posted on social media shows the British former world heavyweight champion being helped out of the wreckage by a crowd. Other clips show him in an emergency vehicle, wearing only a pair of shorts, as he is driven away from the scene.
The FRSC said five men were involved in the crash, adding: “Two persons sadly lost their lives, one sustained injuries, while two others escaped unhurt. Anthony Joshua was rescued alive and sustained minor injuries.”
Police investigate car crash involving Anthony Joshua in Nigeria
Police said in a statement the two people who died have been taken to Livewell Hospital Morgue in Sagamu, while the circumstances of the crash are being investigated.
“The Ogun State Police Command extends heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and assures the public that a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident has commenced,” a statement said.
Joshua, who is the son of British-Nigerian parents, attended a boarding school in Ikenne, 53 miles from where the crash happened, before returning to Britain at age 12.
The crash happened just over a week after Joshua knocked out US YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in the sixth round of their bout in Miami.
The fight marked the end of a 14-month hiatus for Joshua, who is expected to fight Tyson Fury in 2026.
