Anthony Joshua’s camp confirm two of his close friends died in car crash | Anthony Joshua
British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua issued a statement after he was injured in a car crash in Nigeria that killed two of his close friends on Monday morning.
Ogun state police commissioner Lanre Ogunlowo said the former world heavyweight boxing champion was taken to an unnamed hospital after his car crashed into a stationary vehicle on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway at around 11am. He added that the driver of Joshua’s vehicle was also injured.
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An official spokesman for Joshua said: “It is with the deepest and deepest sadness that we confirm this following the deaths of Sina Ghami and Kevin ‘Lateef’ Ayodele following a car accident in Lagos, Nigeria, earlier today. “They were both close friends and integral members of Anthony’s team.
“We respectfully request that families be given space and privacy at this time as we process this truly shocking and devastating news. Anthony was injured in the crash and was taken to hospital for checks and treatment, he is in a stable condition and will remain there for observation.”
In the statement made by Ogun police command, the following statements were made: “The vehicle carrying Mr. Joshua, a Lexus SUV, was involved in an accident under circumstances currently under investigation. Joshua, who was sitting in the back of the vehicle, was slightly injured and is receiving medical attention along with another injured person.
“Tragically, the other two passengers in the vehicle also died at the scene. The deceased was transferred to the Livewell hospital morgue in Sagamu. The Ogun state police command extends its sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and assures the public that a thorough investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the accident.”
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu also expressed his condolences. He said: “I personally spoke to AJ to express my condolences for the deaths of two of his close friends in the recent accident. I wished him a full and speedy recovery and prayed with him.”
In a video shared by local news outlet Punch, Joshua can be seen sitting in the left rear seat of a damaged car. A second video shows him walking slowly and getting into a police vehicle.
Nigeria’s federal road safety agency in question Posts on X stated that he arrived at the scene within three minutes of being notified. In the statement, “A total of 5 adult males were involved in the accident. Unfortunately, 2 people lost their lives, 1 person was injured, and 2 people escaped uninjured. Anthony Joshua was rescued alive and slightly injured.”
The agency added: “Preliminary findings indicate that the Lexus Jeep, suspected of traveling above the legal speed limit on the corridor, lost control during an overtaking maneuver and crashed into a well-packaged truck.” [sic] on the roadside.
“Overspeed and improper overtaking, among the main causes of accidents, constitute serious traffic violations and are among the leading causes of fatal traffic accidents on Nigerian highways.”
Photos shared X by the agency showed a black car with badly damaged front end and a truck with what appeared to be a dent on the left side of its back, covered with a tarpaulin, on a downward sloping grass edge.
Joshua is the son of British-Nigerian parents and has family ties in the town of Sagamu, about 30 miles north of Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital. Police said the accident occurred on the northbound Ibadan side of the expressway, near Sagamu junction.
The 36-year-old attended a boarding school in Ikenne, 85 kilometers from the scene of the crash, before returning to England aged 12.
On December 20, after taking a 15-month break from the sport, he knocked out YouTuber Jake Paul in the sixth round in a boxing match streamed live on Netflix. He was expected to fight another former world heavyweight champion, fellow Briton and long-time rival Tyson Fury, next year.
In a post on
Early Monday morning, Joshua had posted a video of himself playing table tennis at his desk. Instagram storieswithout revealing a location.
