Boxing star Anthony Joshua was taken to hospital after being pulled from the wreckage of a serious car crash in Nigeria that killed two people travelling with him. The former two-time heavyweight world champion, 36, suffered only minor injuries despite being rescued from a badly damaged SUV on the Lagos–Ibadan expressway.
Joshua was in Nigeria, where his parents are from and where he briefly attended boarding school as a child, while on holiday following his recent fight against Jake Paul. Ogun state officials said the two fatalities were foreign nationals who died at the scene.
Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps said the crash involved a Lexus SUV carrying Joshua and a stationary commercial Sinotruck. Five adult men were involved: two died, one was injured, and two escaped unharmed. Joshua was rescued alive and treated for minor injuries, while the injured passenger was taken for medical care and the victims’ bodies were transferred to a local morgue.
While speeding was initially cited as a possible cause, police later said a burst tyre caused the SUV to lose control and collide with the parked truck. Video from the scene showed Joshua appearing dazed and in pain, both inside and outside the vehicle. His security team, travelling in a separate car behind him, avoided the crash.
The incident occurred just 10 days after Joshua knocked out Jake Paul in Miami, marking his 29th win in 33 professional fights. The crash may now complicate plans for his return to the ring, as well as a potential future bout with Tyson Fury. Jake Paul responded to the news by expressing condolences and saying that life mattered more than boxing.