British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua is said to be in a “stable” condition after the vehicle he was travelling in was involved in a crash which claimed the lives of two of his friends, who were also passengers in the car.
The 36-year-old former two-time world champion suffered minor injuries in the collision which occurred as he was sitting in the rear of a black Lexus Jeep in Makun, Ogun State, about 30 miles from Nigeria’s biggest city, Lagos, on the way to visit family.
Long-time friends Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, both also 36, died in the collision with a stationary truck by the side of what is described as a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan express-way at 11am local time.
Two additional passengers in the vehicle escaped without major injury.
Boxer holidaying
The Watford-born fighter is of Nigerian heritage and attended a boarding school in Ikenne, around 50 miles from where the crash happened, before returning to Britain at the age of 12.
He was holidaying in the Africa nation just 10 days after his successful high-profile bout with Jake Paul in Miami which he won with a sixth round stoppage.
Suspicion of speeding
Nigerian federal road safety corps (FRSC) said preliminary findings indicated the Lexus was “suspected to be travelling beyond the legally prescribed limit” and “lost control” while overtaking before crashing into the truck, which was parked by the side of the road.
Police believe the accident was triggered by a tyre blowout “due to excessive speed”.
Vehicle destroyed
Images of the wrecked vehicle were released by Nigerian officials, while a Mitsubishi believed to be part of Joshua’s convoy sat undamaged just yards away.
Photos show the vehicle’s front was completely destroyed, with its doors ripped off and the roof smashed in.
Some social media footage showed the boxing champ seemingly wincing in pain as he was helped out of the wreckage by a crowd. Other clips show him in an emergency vehicle, wearing only a pair of shorts, as he is driven away from the scene.
