Burst tyre and speed contributed to Anthony Joshua crash, say investigators

LAGOS – A Nigerian traffic compliance agency said on Dec 30 preliminary investigations showed that the car involved in an accident in which former world boxing heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua survived had a burst tyre before hitting a stationary truck.

The British boxer was in a “stable condition” in hospital after

the car accident

that killed two close associates, his promoter said on Dec 29.

Joshua, 36, was admitted to Lagos’ Duchess International Hospital, according to the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency in Ogun state, where the accident occurred.

The smash happened on the morning of Dec 29 on a main road linking the commercial capital Lagos and Ibadan in the south-west of the country.

The agency’s spokesman Babatunde Akinbiyi told AFP that “from the preliminary investigation that was conducted, definitely there was overspeeding on the part of the SUV Anthony Joshua was travelling in”.

“In the course of that, the front tyre on the passenger side burst,” he said.

“That led to loss of control before the vehicle now swerved and rammed into the stationary truck that was parked. There was excessive speed...”

Pictures and videos circulating online and also shared by the local state authorities showed a shirtless Joshua – a British national of Nigerian heritage – grimacing in pain as he was helped out of the car.

Others showed a mangled wreckage of a black sports utility vehicle.

His promoter, Matchroom, said the boxer’s “close friends and team members” Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele were killed and Joshua was taken to hospital “for checks and treatment”.

Ayodele, also known as Latz, was a personal trainer of Joshua, while Ghami acted as strength and conditioning coach.

Nigerian police said the two victims died “at the scene”.

Joshua’s family hails from the south-west Nigerian city of Sagamu, and he is known to visit there when he is in the country.

Following the tragedy, fellow boxer Tyson Fury has expressed his condolences over the deaths of Joshua’s team members.

Fury, who has been linked with reversing his retirement to face Joshua in a “Battle of Britain” mega-fight in 2026, wrote on his Instagram page: “This is so sad. May God give them a good bed in heaven.”

Minutes earlier, the self-styled “Gypsy King” revived talk of a ring return by posting a photograph on social media of himself and one of his sons and nephews wearing T-shirts which read: “I’m back.”

Former Olympic champion Joshua had called out Fury following a sixth-round knockout win over YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in a Netflix-backed bout in Miami earlier in December.

But the accident will likely delay the long anticipated bout, with Paul saying on Dec 29 in an X post: “Life is much more important than boxing. I am praying for the lost lives, AJ and anyone impacted by today’s unfortunate accident.”

Former world champion Wladimir Klitschko, stopped in the 11th round by Joshua at Wembley Stadium in 2017, also wrote on X: “I’m deeply saddened to hear about AJ and his close-knit group of friends.

“Having had the pleasure of engaging in an unforgettable battle with AJ, I’ve always regarded him as a true class act who commands my utmost respect.

“My heart goes out to him, and I wish him and his loved ones all the best during this difficult time.” AFP