British heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua has been injured in a serious road traffic accident in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two of his close friends.
The Tragic Accident on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
The collision occurred on Monday 29 December 2025 around midday local time (11am UK time) on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway near Sagamu in Ogun State. Joshua was travelling in the back of a black Lexus when it collided with a parked truck in the Makun area, approximately 30 miles from Lagos.
Preliminary findings from the Nigerian Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) indicate the Lexus was "suspected to be travelling beyond the legally prescribed limit" and lost control while attempting an overtaking manoeuvre. The FRSC stated that excessive speed and wrongful overtaking, the primary causes, are among the leading factors for fatal crashes on Nigerian highways.
Victims Named as Integral Team Members
The two fatalities have been named by Joshua's spokesperson as Sina Ghami and Kevin 'Latif' Ayodele. In an official statement, they were described as "close friends and integral members of Anthony's team." The spokesperson requested privacy for the grieving families.
The 36-year-old former two-time world heavyweight champion sustained minor injuries and was taken to hospital along with another surviving passenger. Officials have confirmed both are now in a "stable" condition. Police investigations into the exact cause of the accident are ongoing.
Reaction and Aftermath
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu posted on social media platform X that he had spoken with Joshua to offer his condolences. "I wished him a full and speedy recovery, and prayed with him," the President wrote, adding that Joshua assured him he was receiving excellent care.
Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, also confirmed the tragic news on X, expressing the team's "profound sadness." The boxer was in Africa on holiday following his high-profile victory over YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami just over a week prior.
Pictures released by the FRSC show the severe damage to the Lexus and the red Sinotruck it hit. Social media footage from the scene appears to show Joshua being helped from the wreckage by bystanders, wincing in pain, and later being transported in an emergency vehicle.
Joshua, the son of British-Nigerian parents, attended boarding school in Ikenne, roughly 50 miles from the crash site, before moving to the UK at age 12.
