Anthony Joshua injured in Nigeria car crash that killed two team members

British boxer Anthony Joshua was injured in a car crash in Nigeria, which claimed the lives of two members of his team.

The former world champion was a passenger in a Lexus SUV that collided with a stationary truck on a major highway in Ogun state, near Lagos.

The two men who died were Joshua’s close friends and team members Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, the boxer’s promoter, Matchroom Boxing, said in a statement.

He added that Joshua was in a stable condition in hospital, where he was taken for “checks and treatment” and would remain under observation.

Police Commander Babatunde Akinbiyi of the Nigerian Traffic Control and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) said initial investigations showed that the Lexus was traveling on the Lagos-Sagamu highway when it “suffered a tire burst due to excessive speed” and subsequently “lost control”.

Mr Akinbiyi said Joshua and the driver were rescued from the wreckage and taken to Sagamu Hospital for medical treatment.

The other two passengers, Mr Ghami and Mr Ayodele, were pronounced dead at the scene, Mr Akinbiyi added.

In a statement, Matchroom said: “Our deepest sympathies and prayers are with the families and friends of all those affected – and we ask that their privacy be respected at this incredibly difficult time.”

The group’s chairman, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, paid tribute to the “two great men” killed in the crash. “Rest in eternal peace Sina and Latz. My deepest thoughts and prayers are with everyone,” he said.

Boxing expert Steve Bunce described Mr Ghami and Mr Ayodele as “two of Joshua’s closest friends” and as “important parts of the Anthony Joshua machine”.

“They’ve been with him, if not from the beginning, then from early on. Latz is AJ’s personal trainer and Sina is his strength and conditioning guy. They’re with him all the time,” Bunce told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Hours before the accident, Joshua posted a video on Instagram of himself and Mr Ayodele playing table tennis. Mr. Ghami had recently posted a message on social media from Lagos.

A joint statement from the Ogun and Lagos state governments said Joshua was stable, conscious and had been in contact with his family.

They earlier said Joshua had “narrowly escaped death” in the crash and there would be a “thorough investigation” into what happened.

Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said he had spoken personally to the 36-year-old boxer to offer his condolences and wish him a “full and speedy recovery”.

“AJ assured me he was receiving the best possible care,” he said in a post on X.

The accident occurred at around 12:00 local time (11:00 GMT) on Monday on the busy Lagos-Ibadan highway.

Photos shared by Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) showed a wrecked car at the scene of the accident, with a crowd of onlookers gathered around.

Local authorities said Joshua and another man – the driver of the vehicle – were rescued by the boxer’s security team.

Video from the scene shows the boxer being helped out of the backseat of a crashed SUV.

The Ogun and Lagos state governments said Joshua and another passenger were “immediately evacuated to a specialized medical facility in Lagos.”

The Lagos-Ibadan highway is known as one of Nigeria’s deadliest roads, with particularly heavy traffic at this time of year, frequented by many Nigerians living abroad for the festive period.

Joshua, born in Watford, has family roots in Sagamu, a town in Ogun state, southwest Nigeria, near the crash site.

He had spent time in the country following his recent victory over American YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul on December 19.

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A relative of Joshua’s in Nigeria, who asked to remain anonymous, told the BBC that news of the accident had come as a “shock” to the family.

They said they hoped for his “speedy recovery” and offered prayers for those who died in the crash.

The family member confirmed that Joshua was traveling from Lagos to Ogun State when the accident happened. His family expected him to join them in Sagamu for the New Year celebrations.

The boxer’s family is well known in the city and traces its ancestors back several generations.

There are plans to build a new indoor boxing gym named after Joshua in Ogun, where the boxer is a sporting ambassador.

Tributes have poured in for the two members of Joshua’s team killed in the crash.

Ghami was Joshua’s full-time strength and conditioning coach for more than 10 years, helping him prepare for the major clashes of his career, including defeating Jake Paul this month.

He also co-founded London-based gym Evolve. The gym announced it would close its doors on December 30 “as we mourn the loss of our beloved owner.”

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