Boxer Anthony Joshua injured in fatal Nigeria car crash

British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua was injured in a traffic accident in Nigeria in which two more people died.

The former world champion was traveling in a vehicle that collided with a stationary truck on a major highway near Lagos.

Photos taken from the scene show the 36-year-old man being helped out of the backseat of a black SUV and surrounded by broken glass.

The Federal Road Safety Corps of Nigeria (FRSC) said five adult males were involved in the crash. Two died, two survived “without injury” and Joshua was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

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

Two vehicles were involved: a black Lexus and a stationary red commercial truck.

The FRSC said based on preliminary findings the Lexus was “suspected of driving beyond the legally prescribed speed limit”.

It was stated that the car “lost control during an overtaking maneuver” and crashed into a truck standing on the side of the road.

Pictures shared by the FRSC showed a wrecked car at the scene of the crash and a crowd of onlookers gathered nearby.

The Lagos-Ibadan expressway is known to be one of the deadliest roads in Nigeria, and traffic is especially heavy at this time of the year as many Nigerians living abroad visit it during the festive period.

Born in Watford, Joshua has family roots in Sagamu, a town in Ogun state in southwestern Nigeria, near the scene of the crash.

He was spending time in the country after the last incident Victory over American YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul On December 19th.

Hours before the accident, Joshua posted a video on Instagram of him playing table tennis with another man. It is not known exactly when and where the video was shot.

Local police commissioner Lanre Ogunlowo said an investigation into the accident has been ordered.

A relative of Joshua in Nigeria, who wished to remain anonymous, told the BBC that the news of the accident was a “shock” for the family.

They said they hoped for his “speedy recovery” and prayed for those killed in the crash.

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

The boxer’s family is well known in the town and traces their ancestry there for several generations.

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