Anthony Joshua in hospital after horror car crash as Eddie Hearn provides health update

Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has provided a health update on Anthony Joshua after the heavyweight boxer suffered injuries in a fatal crash that killed two.

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Anthony Joshua was involved in a car crash in Nigeria(Image: X)

Anthony Joshua is in hospital after suffering ‘minor injuries’ in a fatal car crash in Nigeria, which killed two people. It has been reported that the former heavyweight champion was travelling in a Jeep and collided with a stationary truck while travelling on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in the southwest of Nigeria.

Mirror Sport spoke to Eddie Hearn, his promoter, who is currently on holiday in the Caribbean and had only just found out about the crash. Hearn understood that Joshua was OK and on his way to the hospital, but had no further information to give.

A local news outlet reported that the boxer, sitting in the back seat of the vehicle, was involved in the accident, suffering minor injuries. It has been said that Joshua was a part of a two-car convoy with a Pajero SUV and a Lexus SUV, with his security in a vehicle behind them.

An eyewitness told local newspaper Punch: “It was a two-vehicle convoy: a Lexus SUV and a Pajero SUV. Joshua was seated behind the driver, with another person beside him. There was also a passenger sitting beside the driver, making four occupants in the Lexus that crashed. His security detail was in the vehicle behind them before the crash.

“Other eyewitnesses and I began the rescue and flagged down oncoming vehicles to assist. A few minutes after the crash, officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps arrived. The passenger beside the driver and the person beside Joshua died on the spot.”

The Times have reported that Joshua’s vehicle swerved into the truck after a tyre burst and lost control, with the local police now investigating the incident.

Images from eyewitnesses have shown the heavyweight boxer standing up, and the BBC has reported that local police have told them that the 36-year-old is “fine” after suffering minor injuries.

Joshua was in his parents’ homeland of Nigeria, and in the hours before the crash, he posted a story on his Instagram page showing himself playing table tennis with his personal trainer.

The 36-year-old has been recovering from his exhibition fight with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami, Florida. Joshua scored a sixth-round knockout to return to winning ways after his fourth career defeat to Daniel Dubois.

Paul, who has fought the likes of Tyson Fury and Anderson Silva as part of his transition into the ring, suffered a broken jaw as a result of the bout with the former world heavyweight champion.

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Anthony Joshua was involved in a road accident today in Makun, Ogun State and is now in hospital(Image: Credit: Adeniyi Orojo)

Joshua has teased that 2026 will be a big year for him and, in doing so, has reignited his feud with Tyson Fury. In a post on Instagram days after the win on December 19, he wrote: “A massive shoutout to the 33 million of you who tuned in to support me, Jake, and everyone on the undercard, and thank you to those who prayed for me during fight week.

“Enjoy the festive break if you’re celebrating, and have a blessed week if you’re not. Big things coming in the New Year, so stay tuned. We are all one under God’s eyes. God bless. Rastafari.”

Both the 29-4 fighter and the Gypsy King have engaged in a war of words for a number of years after jostling at the summit of heavyweight boxing, but have yet to touch gloves.

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Anthony Joshua has been taken to hospital following a crash in Nigeria.(Image: X)

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Joshua was said to be travelling in the backseat of the car that crashed.

However, reports suggest that the fight could become a reality under the umbrella of Riyadh Season and His Excellency Turki Alalshikh.

Following his win over Paul, AJ took the microphone and called out his heavyweight foe. He said: “We shook off the cobwebs and I can’t wait to roll into 2026.

“And if Tyson Fury’s as serious as he thinks he is, and he wants to put down his Twitter fingers and put on some gloves and come and fight one of the realest fighters out there that will take on any challenge, step into the ring with me next.

“If you’re a real bad man, don’t do all that talking, ‘AJ this, AJ that,’ let’s see you in the ring and talk with your fists.”