OGUN STATE, NIGERIA — Former two-time world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua was hospitalized on Monday morning, December 29, 2025, following a devastating car accident that claimed the lives of two people. The crash occurred on the notorious Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, a primary transit artery in Southwest Nigeria, just days after Joshua secured a high-profile victory in the United States.
According to the Ogun State Police Command and eyewitness accounts, the accident took place around 11:00 AM local time (5:00 AM ET) near the Sagamu Interchange. Joshua, 36, was reportedly traveling in a two-vehicle convoy when the Lexus SUV he was riding in suffered a catastrophic tire failure, leading to a fatal collision with a parked heavy-duty truck.
The Details of the Crash
Ogun State Police Commissioner Lanre Ogunlowo confirmed the details of the incident to local and international media. Preliminary investigations suggest that a rear tire burst while the vehicle was traveling at highway speeds. The sudden loss of control caused the Lexus to swerve violently off the road and ram into a stationary truck parked along the shoulder.
“The accident happened as a result of a burst tire on AJ’s vehicle, which caused the driver to lose control and the vehicle to swerve into the stationary truck,” Commissioner Ogunlowo stated. “We are aware of two fatalities at the scene.”
Witnesses at the scene, including Adeniyi Orojo, who spoke with The Punch, described a chaotic rescue effort. Joshua was reportedly seated in the back of the Lexus, accompanied by another passenger. The front of the vehicle bore the brunt of the impact.
- Fatalities: The driver of the Lexus and the front-seat passenger were both killed instantly upon impact.
- Survivors: Anthony Joshua and the passenger seated next to him in the rear survived, though both were rushed to an undisclosed hospital for urgent medical attention.
Joshua’s Condition: “Dazed but Responsive”
Videos and images circulating on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) showed a shirtless and visibly shaken Joshua being helped from the wreckage. In the footage, the boxer appeared dazed and was seen wincing in pain as onlookers assisted him into a police vehicle for transport to a medical facility.
A spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, Babaseyi Boluwatife, told CNN that while the crash was horrific, Joshua appears to have escaped with non-life-threatening injuries.
“Anthony Joshua is well and responding to treatment,” Boluwatife said. “He sustained minor bruises and is currently under observation. Our thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic incident.”
His promoter, Eddie Hearn, who is currently on a family holiday, expressed shock upon hearing the news. “We are trying to contact Anthony and in the meantime, we don’t want to speculate, but thankfully he appears OK from what I have seen in the images,” Hearn told Daily Mail Sport.
A Triumphant Return Turned Tragic
The accident comes during what was supposed to be a celebratory homecoming for the British-Nigerian fighter. Just nine days ago, on December 20, 2025, Joshua dominated the global spotlight by knocking out YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in the sixth round of a massive event in Miami.
Following the win, which brought his professional record to 29-4, Joshua traveled to Nigeria to visit his ancestral home in Sagamu. Joshua has long been vocal about his Nigerian heritage—his mother is Nigerian and his father is of Nigerian and Irish descent—and he famously spent part of his youth at a boarding school in Ikenne.
The crash has sparked a renewed conversation regarding road safety on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, a stretch of road frequently cited for high accident rates due to heavy traffic, irregular maintenance, and the presence of stationary broken-down trucks along the shoulder.
The Road Ahead: Recovery and the Ring
Before the accident, 2026 was shaping up to be a legacy-defining year for Joshua. Negotiations were reportedly underway for a long-anticipated “Battle of Britain” against Tyson Fury, who recently hinted at a return to the ring.
While Joshua’s physical injuries are reported as minor, the psychological toll of a fatal accident may impact his timeline for returning to training. Medical experts suggest that even minor “bruises” in a high-speed collision can involve concussive force, which requires rigorous screening for a professional athlete in a combat sport.
For now, the boxing world watches and waits as “AJ” recovers in his homeland. Local authorities in Ogun State continue to investigate the crash, and funeral arrangements for the two victims are expected to be announced by their respective families in the coming days.