Anthony Joshua Injured in Fatal Road Accident in Nigeria, Two Killed

British heavyweight boxing star Anthony Joshua was injured in a road accident in Nigeria on Monday morning that resulted in the deaths of two people, according to local authorities.

Police said the crash occurred around 11:00 am on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway when the vehicle carrying Joshua collided with a stationary truck. The boxer was seated in the rear of a Lexus SUV at the time of the accident and was taken to a hospital for treatment. His driver also sustained injuries.

In an official statement, the Ogun State Police Command confirmed that Joshua suffered minor injuries and is currently receiving medical care. The statement added that two other occupants of the vehicle died at the scene and their bodies were later transferred to the morgue at Livewell Hospital in Sagamu.

Authorities expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and assured the public that a full investigation has been launched to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.

Video footage circulating on social media appeared to show Joshua sitting inside the damaged vehicle before later being assisted as he walked slowly into a police car.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said it responded within minutes of receiving the emergency alert. According to the agency, five adult males were involved in the crash—two fatalities were recorded, one person sustained injuries, and two others escaped without harm. The FRSC confirmed that Joshua was rescued alive and only suffered minor injuries.

Preliminary findings by the agency suggest the SUV may have been travelling above the speed limit and lost control during an overtaking attempt before hitting a stationary truck parked along the roadside. Officials cited speeding and dangerous overtaking as major contributing factors, noting that both remain among the leading causes of fatal accidents on Nigerian highways.

Photographs released by the FRSC showed extensive damage to the front of the black SUV and a tarpaulin-covered truck parked on a roadside slope.

Joshua, 36, has strong family ties to Sagamu, a town located north of Lagos, and spent part of his childhood in Ikenne, where he attended boarding school before returning to the UK at the age of 12.

The boxer recently returned to action after a long layoff and knocked out YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in the sixth round of a high-profile bout streamed on Netflix in December. He was widely expected to face fellow British heavyweight Tyson Fury in a potential blockbuster fight next year.

Reacting to the news, Jake Paul posted a message on social media expressing sympathy, writing that life matters more than boxing and offering prayers for the victims and those affected.

Earlier on the same day, Joshua had shared a video on Instagram showing him playing table tennis, without revealing his location. His UK-based management team later said they were initially unable to establish contact with him following the accident.