Burst tyre and speed contributed to Anthony Joshua crash, say investigators
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The accident in Nigeria killed two close associates of former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
PHOTOS: REUTERS, AFP
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- Anthony Joshua survived a car accident in Nigeria; preliminary investigations suggest a burst tyre and overspeeding caused the crash, according to TRACE.
- Two of Joshua's "close friends and team members," Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, died in the accident that occurred on a road between Lagos and Ibadan.
- Joshua, 36, was hospitalised in Lagos in "stable condition" for "checks and treatment" after the accident; photos showed him grimacing as he exited the wrecked vehicle.
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LAGOS - A Nigeria traffic compliance agency said on Dec 30 that preliminary investigations showed the car involved in an accident in which former world 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 Dec 29 car accident
Joshua, 36, was admitted at Lagos’ Duchess International Hospital, according to the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) in Ogun state, where the accident occurred.
The smash happened on the morning of Dec 29 on a main road linking Lagos and Ibadan in the south-west of the country.
TRACE 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 local state authorities showed a shirtless Joshua – a British national of Nigerian heritage – grimacing in pain as he was helped step 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 himself was taken to hospital “for checks and treatment”.
Nigerian police said the two victims died “at the scene”.
Joshua’s family hails from the south-west Nigerian city and he is known to visit there when he is in the country. AFP
A tyre burst on the SUV that Anthony Joshua was travelling in, causing it to swerve before hitting a stationary truck.
PHOTO: EPA
