British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua has been injured in a car crash in Nigeria, which killed two members of his team.
The former world champion was a passenger in a vehicle that collided with a stationary truck on a major expressway in Ogun State, near Lagos. The two men who died were Joshua's close friends and team members Sina Ghami and Latif Latz Ayodele, the boxer's promoter Matchroom Boxing said in a statement.
It added that Joshua was in a stable condition in hospital, where he was taken for checks and treatment and will remain for observation.
Our deepest condolences and prayers are with the families and friends of all those affected - and we ask that their privacy is respected at this incredibly difficult time, the Matchroom statement said.
The group's chair, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, paid tribute to the two great men who were killed in the crash. Rest in eternal peace Sina and Latz. My thoughts and deepest prayers are with everyone, he said.
Boxing expert Steve Bunce described Mr. Ghami and Mr. Ayodele as two of Joshua's closest friends and as massive parts of the Anthony Joshua machine.
They've been with him, if not from the start, at least very early on. Latz is AJ's personal trainer and Sina is his strength and conditioning man. They are with him all the time, Bunce told BBC Radio 5 Live.
Hours before the crash, Joshua posted a video to Instagram of himself and Mr. Ayodele playing table tennis. Mr. Ghami had recently posted on social media from Lagos.
A joint statement from the Ogun and Lagos state governments said Joshua was stable and conscious, and had been in contact with his family. They said earlier that Joshua had narrowly escaped death in the crash, and there will be a comprehensive investigation into what happened.
Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said he had spoken to the 36-year-old boxer personally to convey his condolences and wish him a full and speedy recovery.
The crash took place on the busy Lagos-Ibadan expressway at around 12:00 local time (11:00 GMT) on Monday. The incident involved two vehicles: a black Lexus and a stationary red commercial truck. Nigeria's Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said the Lexus was suspected to be travelling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit, based on preliminary findings.
The Lagos-Ibadan expressway is known as one of Nigeria's deadliest roads, with particularly heavy traffic at this time of year as many Nigerians living abroad visit for the festive period.
Joshua, who was born in Watford, has family roots in Sagamu - a town in Ogun State, south-west Nigeria, near the crash site. He had been spending time in the country following his recent victory over American YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul on 19 December.
The former world champion was a passenger in a vehicle that collided with a stationary truck on a major expressway in Ogun State, near Lagos. The two men who died were Joshua's close friends and team members Sina Ghami and Latif Latz Ayodele, the boxer's promoter Matchroom Boxing said in a statement.
It added that Joshua was in a stable condition in hospital, where he was taken for checks and treatment and will remain for observation.
Our deepest condolences and prayers are with the families and friends of all those affected - and we ask that their privacy is respected at this incredibly difficult time, the Matchroom statement said.
The group's chair, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, paid tribute to the two great men who were killed in the crash. Rest in eternal peace Sina and Latz. My thoughts and deepest prayers are with everyone, he said.
Boxing expert Steve Bunce described Mr. Ghami and Mr. Ayodele as two of Joshua's closest friends and as massive parts of the Anthony Joshua machine.
They've been with him, if not from the start, at least very early on. Latz is AJ's personal trainer and Sina is his strength and conditioning man. They are with him all the time, Bunce told BBC Radio 5 Live.
Hours before the crash, Joshua posted a video to Instagram of himself and Mr. Ayodele playing table tennis. Mr. Ghami had recently posted on social media from Lagos.
A joint statement from the Ogun and Lagos state governments said Joshua was stable and conscious, and had been in contact with his family. They said earlier that Joshua had narrowly escaped death in the crash, and there will be a comprehensive investigation into what happened.
Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said he had spoken to the 36-year-old boxer personally to convey his condolences and wish him a full and speedy recovery.
The crash took place on the busy Lagos-Ibadan expressway at around 12:00 local time (11:00 GMT) on Monday. The incident involved two vehicles: a black Lexus and a stationary red commercial truck. Nigeria's Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said the Lexus was suspected to be travelling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit, based on preliminary findings.
The Lagos-Ibadan expressway is known as one of Nigeria's deadliest roads, with particularly heavy traffic at this time of year as many Nigerians living abroad visit for the festive period.
Joshua, who was born in Watford, has family roots in Sagamu - a town in Ogun State, south-west Nigeria, near the crash site. He had been spending time in the country following his recent victory over American YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul on 19 December.
