Makuochi Okafor,BBC Africa, Lagosand
Ian Aikman
British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua has been injured in a car crash in Nigeria, which killed two members of his team.
The former world champion was a passenger in a vehicle that collided with a stationary truck on a major expressway 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.
It added that Joshua was in a stable condition in hospital, where he was taken for “checks and treatment” and will remain for observation.
“Our deepest condolences and prayers are with the families and friends of all those affected – and we ask that their privacy is respected at this incredibly difficult time,” the Matchroom statement said.
The group’s chair, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, paid tribute to the “two great men” who were killed in the crash. “Rest in eternal peace Sina and Latz. My thoughts and deepest 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 “massive parts of the Anthony Joshua machine”.
“They’ve been with him, if not from the start, at least very early on. Latz is AJ’s personal trainer and Sina is his strength and conditioning man. They are with him all the time,” Bunce told BBC Radio 5 Live.
Hours before the crash, Joshua posted a video to Instagram of himself and Mr Ayodele playing table tennis. Mr Ghami had recently posted on social media from Lagos.
A joint statement from the Ogun and Lagos state governments said Joshua was stable and conscious, and had been in contact with his family.
They said earlier that Joshua had “narrowly escaped death” in the crash, and there will be a “comprehensive investigation” into what happened.
Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said he had spoken to the 36-year-old boxer personally to convey his condolences and wish him a “full and speedy recovery”.
“AJ assured me he is receiving the best possible care,” he said in a post on X.
The crash took place on the busy Lagos-Ibadan expressway at around 12:00 local time (11:00 GMT) on Monday.
The incident involved two vehicles: a black Lexus and a stationary red commercial truck.
Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said the Lexus was “suspected to be travelling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit”, based on preliminary findings.
It said the car appeared to have “lost control during an overtaking manoeuvre” and crashed into the stationary truck by the side of the road.
Pictures shared by the FRSC showed a wrecked car at the site of the crash, with a crowd of onlookers gathered around.
Local officials said Joshua and another man – the vehicle’s driver – were rescued by the boxer’s security team.
Video from the scene showed the boxer being helped out from the back seat of a wrecked SUV.
Ogun and Lagos state governments said Joshua and another passenger were “immediately evacuated to a specialised medical facility in Lagos”.
The Lagos-Ibadan expressway is known as one of Nigeria’s deadliest roads, with particularly heavy traffic at this time of year as many Nigerians living abroad visit for the festive period.
Joshua, who was born in Watford, has family roots in Sagamu – a town in Ogun State, south-west Nigeria, near the crash site.
He had been spending time in the country following his recent victory over American YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul on 19 December.
Paul posted on X after the crash: “Life is much more important than boxing. I am praying for the lost lives, AJ and anyone impacted by today’s unfortunate accident.”
A relative of Joshua’s in Nigeria, who asked not to be named, told the BBC that news of the crash came as a “shock” to the family.
They said they were hoping for his “speedy recovery” and offered prayers for those who died in the crash.
The family member confirmed that Joshua was travelling from Lagos to Ogun State when the accident happened. His family had been expecting him to join them in Sagamu for New Year celebrations.
The boxer’s family is well known in the town and traces its ancestry there across several generations.
There are plans to build a new indoor boxing venue named after Joshua in Ogun, where the boxer is a sports ambassador.
Tributes are pouring in for the two members of Joshua’s team who were killed in the crash.
Ghami had been Joshua’s full-time strength and conditioning coach for more than 10 years, helping him prepare for major clashes of his career including this month’s defeat of Jake Paul.
He also co-founded the London-based gym Evolve. The gym says it will close on 30 December “as we mourn the loss of our beloved owner”.
