British heavyweight and Olympic gold medalist Anthony Joshua was on top of the world after putting YouTube boxer Jake Paul in his place with a sixth-round knockout of the charismatic influencer. In fact, Joshua and Jake Paul took home a whopping $92M a piece for the sanctioned “exhibition.”
Boxing Champion Anthony Joshua Survives Car Crash In Nigeria
Tides can turn quickly, however, but lady luck is still on Joshua’s side, even in the most tragic of circumstances as Joshua survived a car crash in Nigeria on Monday morning that killed two others, according to local authorities.
The incident occurred at about 11 a.m. local time on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, in Makun, Ogun State, in the deep southwest pocket of Nigeria, police said.
According to several X posts by local authorities, Joshua survived the crash. The 36-year-old was travelling in the back of a black Lexus when the SUV hit a stationary truck on a busy highway in Makun, Ogun State.
The police statement read:
“The accident under circumstances that are currently being investigated. He was seated in the rear of the vehicle, sustained minor injuries and received medical attention. Tragically, two other passengers in the vehicle lost their lives at the scene. The deceased have been conveyed to Livewell Hospital Morgue, Sagamu. The Ogun State Police Command extends heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and assures the public that a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident has commenced.”
Anthony Joshua Lost Strength and Conditioning Coach & Personal Trainer In Tragic Crash
The statuesque Joshua stormed the boxing scene at the 2012 London Olympics when he destroyed the competition to win superheavyweight gold for Great Britain. After several championship wins and a few losses, Joshua’s fame exploded after his decisive Dec. 20 victory over social media star-turned boxer Jake Paul. The first bout of its magnitude on Netflix was watched by 33 million people.
The identities of the two people who tragically passed in the crash have surfaced. His strength and conditioning coach and personal trainer reportedly passed away.
“Tragic news in Lagos Ibadan expressway: AJ Fitness coach HealthyMindet reportedly dies in a car crash with Anthony Joshua, just 7 hours after playing table tennis with him. Two lives lost, one recovering — the shocking accident has shaken fans across Nigeria,” captioned one fan.
Another account posted the names of Joshua’s close friends.
“The two people who died in the Anthony Joshua crash were coaches and close friends of his, Latz and Sina – Sina was his strength and conditioning coach, who can be seen here preparing him for his Jake Paul fight 2 weeks ago – Latz was AJ’s personal trainer,” the post read.
Social Media Criticizes Nigerian Government, Response Time Of Medical Units, Handling Of Joshua and His Friends
Video live from the scene in Nigeria shows people standing around at the accident scene and one netizen posted a video with a caption criticizing the response time.
“Anthony Joshua has now been removed and on his way to the hospital,” one netizen posted. Video below. Still no sign of ambulance. The Nigerian Government doesn’t value people’s lives. How would there be no accident response unit in Lagos-Ibadan expressway?”
Fans on social media also criticized the response time and the way Joshua was handled by responders, throwing daggers at the country, its government and the lack of resources to handle such a tragedy.
“this country is so shameful and it’s sad … these are the experiences countries that pay tax never see… but here we are they wanna tax us without giving us basic needs,” said one Nigerian netizen scolding her country.
“You see the way Anthony Joshua was transported after the car accident, despite all his multi millions. Now think about yourself, may Nigeria not happen to any of us,” added another person commenting on X.
“There’s nothing called an emergency in Africa. No ambulance, no paramedics and no one to give first aid to the the victims,” said another critical commenter.
“I’ve seen people bleeding out during road accidents because no emergency response in hours and people are scared to help them in their private vehicles because of the fear of police wahala,” shared another.
One Nigerian citizen warned celebrities who visit to come equipped.
“Be ready to move about with your own security escort and ambulance. That is what our politicians do.”
There were plenty of comments from frustrated fans, Nigerians and others across the globe looking to blame an accident on someone. However, this wasn’t an unusual trip for Joshua, whose family has roots in Sagamu, a town in Ogun State, Nigeria. A relative reportedly told the BBC the family is in shock, but relieved he’s alive. The relative said Joshua usually visits Nigeria around the new year.
Could the Loss Of Lives Have Been Prevented? Anthony Joshua’s Dream Month Turns Tragic
Joshua survived, but he lost two people very close to him. Another example of how life can change in an instant. He was celebrating the ups with those who helped him achieve his greatest success and share in his highest moments. His $100M pay day for a quick six rounds of work against a social media actor-turned-boxer and business tycoon, didn’t damage his reputation as a true pugilist. It only elevated him to newfound fame and fortune. Then in the blink of an eye, a near-death experience that steals the lives of his closest friends quickly brings a dark, sovereign reality to that pinnacle of life, love and relationships he had just reached a few weeks prior.
