By Nimi Princewill, NCS
Abuja, Nigeria (NCS) — Former world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua escaped with minor accidents in a car crash that killed two of his friends and group members on Monday, in response to Nigerian authorities and his promoter.
The incident occurred round 11 a.m. (5 a.m. ET) on a busy stretch of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, which connects Ogun to the business middle of Lagos, native police in Ogun state reported.
Joshua, who has household ties in Ogun, sustained solely “minor bruises,” however Babaseyi Boluwatife, a spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, stated two different occupants in the automobile with him, together with the motive force, have been killed.
“Anthony Joshua is well and responding to treatment,” Boluwatife advised NCS.
Joshua’s friends Sina Ghami and Kevin Latif Ayodele have been killed in the crash, in response to Joshua’s promoter, Matchroom Boxing, and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“I have spoken with AJ to personally convey my condolences over the passing of his two close associates, Kevin Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami in the recent accident,” Tinubu wrote on X. “I wished him a full and speedy recovery, and prayed with him. AJ assured me he is receiving the best possible care.”
Ghami was Joshua’s power and conditioning coach and incessantly traveled with him in Nigeria, in response to social media movies. Ayodele was Joshua’s private coach and could possibly be seen enjoying ping pong with him in a video posted to his Instagram story simply hours earlier than the accident. Ayodele’s first Instagram {photograph} encompasses a fresh-faced Joshua in the early levels of his combating profession.
Ghami, who was pictured conditioning coaching with Joshua just lately in Miami forward of his high-profile battle with Jake Paul, posted a remaining Instagram story displaying a black SUV in Lagos.
He labored with Joshua for ten years as his full time sport and train rehabilitation coach. Ghami has additionally labored with NFL participant Le’Veon Bell from the Pittsburgh Steelers and NBA participant Draymond Green from the Golden State Warriors.
Eddie Hearn of Matchbox Boxing stated in an announcement that Ghami and Ayodele have been Joshua’s “close friends and team members,” and nice males.
Hearn added that Joshua was taken to hospital for “checks and treatment.”
The Lagos state commissioner for info, Gbenga Omotoso, stated Joshua was launched from hospital late on Wednesday afternoon.
“Though heavy hearted and full of emotions over the loss of his two close friends he was deemed clinical fit to recuperate from home,” Omotoso stated in a post on X.
Joshua previously held three of the four main world championship belts in boxing and secured a gold medal in the tremendous heavyweight class on the 2012 Summer Olympics whereas competing for Great Britain.
The deadly crash occurred simply over every week after he achieved a knockout win towards YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in their heavyweight bout in Miami on December 19. Joshua broke Paul’s jaw in the course of the battle.
“Life is much more important than boxing,” Paul posted to X. “I am praying for the lost lives, AJ and anyone impacted by today’s unfortunate accident.”
The freeway on which the crash occurred has just lately been recognized as essentially the most harmful street in Nigeria, with greater than 600 fatalities over a interval of 27 months, in response to statistics reported by local media.
According to an announcement from Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Joshua was touring in a Lexus SUV that collided with a parked truck whereas making an attempt to overhaul.
It stated preliminary findings indicated that the Lexus Jeep, “which was suspected to be traveling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit on the corridor,” misplaced management whereas overtaking and crashed into the stationary truck along with the street.
The company added, “The primary causes of the crash being excessive speed and wrongful overtaking constitute serious traffic violations and remain among the leading causes of fatal road crashes on Nigerian highways.”
A video displaying Joshua being rescued from the wreckage has been circulating on social media. The boxer, born to Nigerian mother and father in Watford, close to London, has stayed linked to his roots.
The Joshuas have a outstanding presence in Sagamu city, in Ogun, with their lineage spanning a number of generations. Joshua embraces his Nigerian heritage, which he visibly honors with a tattoo of Africa – particularly highlighting Nigeria – on his proper shoulder.
Joshua couldn’t instantly be reached for remark.
The-NCS-Wire
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NCS’s Larry Madowo and Jonny Hallam contributed to this report.