Former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua has been injured in a car crash in south-west Nigeria that claimed the lives of two close members of his team.
Joshua was a passenger in a Lexus SUV that collided with a stationary truck on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in Ogun State, near Lagos. The crash occurred around midday on Monday.
Those killed were Sina Ghami, Joshua’s long-time strength and conditioning coach, and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, his personal trainer. Matchroom Boxing confirmed their deaths in a statement and said Joshua was in a stable condition in hospital, where he is being monitored.
Nigeria’s Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) said preliminary investigations indicated the vehicle suffered a tyre burst due to excessive speed, causing the driver to lose control. Joshua and the driver were rescued from the wreckage and taken to a hospital in Sagamu, while the two other passengers were pronounced dead at the scene.
Matchroom Boxing offered condolences to the families of those affected and asked for privacy during what it described as an extremely difficult time. Eddie Hearn, chair of Matchroom Boxing, paid tribute to Ghami and Ayodele, describing them as “two great men”.
Boxing analyst Steve Bunce said both men were among Joshua’s closest companions and had played key roles in his career for many years.
Hours before the crash, Joshua had shared a video on social media showing him playing table tennis with Ayodele, while Ghami had recently posted images from Lagos.
A joint statement from the Ogun and Lagos state governments said Joshua was stable, conscious and in contact with his family. Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said he had spoken directly with the boxer to offer condolences and wish him a speedy recovery.
Images released by Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps showed the heavily damaged vehicle at the crash site, which attracted a large crowd. Video footage also showed Joshua being helped from the back seat of the wrecked SUV.
The Lagos-Ibadan expressway is considered one of Nigeria’s most dangerous roads, particularly during the festive season when traffic volumes increase.
Joshua, who was born in the UK, has family roots in Sagamu, Ogun State, and had been visiting Nigeria following his recent victory over Jake Paul on 19 December. He was reportedly travelling to join family members for New Year celebrations at the time of the crash.
Tributes have continued to pour in for Ghami and Ayodele. Ghami, who had worked with Joshua for more than a decade, was also a co-founder of the London-based gym Evolve, which announced it would close temporarily to mourn his death.
