Relatives of boxer Anthony Joshua express shock at car crash that killed two

Residents of Anthony Joshua's hometown in Nigeria expressed shock on Tuesday at the car crash that injured the British boxer and killed two others.

Ademamola Joshua, the uncle of Anthony Joshua's father, said that the news of the crash was "a great shock."

"All the people are very close with him (Anthony Joshua) and he is very free among the people. So it was a great shock for us," he said.

Joshua, a two-time heavyweight champion and an Olympic gold medalist, was travelling in a car that collided Monday with a stationary truck by the roadside near Lagos. Eyewitnesses say the vehicle’s tire had burst at high speed.

Two friends and teammates of Joshua's died in the crash. Joshua remains in hospital for monitoring and is in a stable condition, according to his promoter, Matchroom Boxing.

Social media videos of the crash spread around Joshua's hometown, Samagu, quickly on Monday.

Oluwatoyin Omoleye, a resident of Samagu, told that when he heard the news he was “so sad because Anthony was coming home to celebrate with our people here."

The boxer has been in Nigeria following his knockout win over American boxer and YouTube influencer Jake Paul on 19 December in Miami.

The high-profile accident has also prompted serious concerns about road safety on Nigerian highways, where accidents are common.

The West African nation recorded 5,421 deaths in 9,570 road accidents in 2024, according to the country's Federal Road Safety Corps. Its data showed 340 more people were killed in road accidents last year compared to 2023.

Experts say a combination of factors including a network of dilapidated roads, lax enforcement of traffic laws, and indiscipline by drivers, produces the grim statistics.