Anthony Joshua was touched by tragedy when three members of his family died in a Nigerian car accident. Unfortunately, the crash led to two fatalities. The crash took place on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in Ogun State last Tuesday at approximately 11 AM local time. Joshua was just 8 years-old when the accident happened on a family vacation. Though he survived with only minor injuries, two other passengers in his car were tragically killed.
The crash involved a Lexus SUV, which Joshua was traveling in with three other family members. He was sitting behind the driver, with a third person next to him, with another person trapped next to him. Eyewitnesses said the vehicle was speeding. It had lost control while trying to overtake and rammed into a stationary truck parked on the roadside.
Fortunately, Joshua was physically unharmed and was able to receive swift medical attention. A third passenger suffered extensive injuries as a direct result of the crash. Prominent boxing promoter Eddie Hearn commented on the situation, stating that they were trying to contact Joshua and were thankful he appeared to be okay based on initial images.
“We are trying to contact Anthony and in the meantime we don’t want to speculate on how he is but thankfully he appears OK from what I have seen in the images,” – Eddie Hearn
Hearn reiterated that Joshua was on holiday when the news of the accident went public. He noted the seriousness of the incident and said that his thoughts went to the victims of the disaster.
“Life is much more important than boxing. I am praying for the lost lives, AJ and anyone impacted by today’s unfortunate accident,” – Jake Paul
Authorities have now opened a criminal investigation into the circumstances leading up to the crash. Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps attributed the cause to the driver speeding on the highway. Instead, it lost control while driving more than double the equivalent of a 110mph speed limit.
“The vehicle conveying Mr Joshua, a Lexus SUV, was involved in the accident under circumstances that are currently being investigated. Joshua, seated in the rear of the vehicle, sustained minor injuries and is receiving medical attention with another injured person,” – Lanre Ogunlowo
“Tragically, two other passengers in the vehicle lost their lives at the scene,” – Lanre Ogunlowo
It was just under two weeks ago that Anthony Joshua took on Jake Paul in Miami. He interrupted us to jump up and down at the memory of the sixth-round knockout victory. The boxer’s loans have their origins in his British-Nigerian heritage. He was raised at a boarding school in Ikenne, some 85 kilometers (53 miles) from the crash site, before moving to Britain at the age of 12.
