LAGOS, Nigeria — Boxing superstar Anthony Joshua narrowly escaped tragedy Monday when his vehicle was involved in a catastrophic highway collision that claimed two lives on the busy Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
According to multiple sources including the boxer’s promoter and Nigerian police officials, the former heavyweight world champion was traveling in a two-vehicle convoy when his car collided with a truck. The impact resulted in the immediate fatalities of two individuals seated near Joshua, though the British-Nigerian athlete emerged without life-threatening injuries.
Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, confirmed to Daily Mail Sport that the boxer had been on a family vacation in Nigeria at the time of the incident. “We awoke to the news of this incident and are currently attempting to establish direct contact with Anthony,” Hearn stated. “While we refrain from speculation regarding his condition, visual evidence suggests he has emerged relatively unscathed from this terrible accident.”
Circulating social media images depicted a shirtless Joshua surrounded by shattered window glass within the vehicle’s interior, though the athlete appeared conscious and alert following the collision. Witness Adeniyi Orojo informed Punch newspaper that Joshua had been seated behind his driver when the crash occurred.
The timing of this incident comes during a period of career resurgence for the 2012 Olympic champion. Earlier this month, Joshua delivered a spectacular knockout victory against YouTube personality turned boxer Jake Paul during a Netflix-broadcast event in Miami. The British heavyweight is scheduled to face compatriot Tyson Fury in a highly anticipated match next year, following his September 2023 loss to Daniel Dubois.
Nigerian authorities have launched a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal accident, though no official statements regarding potential causes have been released.