Anthony Joshua was involved in a car crash in Nigeria on Monday that unfortunately took the life of the boxer’s close friends, Latif “Latz” Ayodele and sport and exercise rehabilitation coach Sina Ghami

Anthony Joshua’s uncle has revealed he has been searching hospitals to find his nephew and revealed the shock the family endured after learning of the heavyweight boxing star’s car crash in Nigeria on Monday. The accident killed two of Joshua’s close friends after a tyre blowout caused the incident.

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The boxer has been confirmed to be in a stable condition in a hospital in Lagos, with reports claiming he’s being treated at the Duchess International Hospital – one of the country’s best hospitals – and will be there until the New Year. Joshua’s personal trainer Latif “Latz” Ayodele and sport and exercise rehabilitation coach Sina Ghami, however, lost their lives having been sat on the other side of the car to AJ.

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Local police commissioner Lanre Ogunlowo confirmed to the BBC that an investigation into the car accident has been ordered. He added: “I can confirm to you that an accident occurred and the victim has been taken to the hospital.”

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Joshua sustained minor injuries as a passenger in the incident. The car carrying Joshua, a Lexus SUV, is understood to have collided with a stationary truck near a petrol station on a busy Lagos-Ibadan highway.

In the aftermath of the clash, Joshua’s uncle, Adedamola Joshua, has opened up about the stress the family have been through. Speaking to journalists in Ijokun, he said: “We did not know on time that he was involved in an accident, it was really a rude shock to the family because this is not the first time he would be coming to see his family in Sagamu,” he said.

“Anthony Joshua can even come home up to three, four times in a year. We felt so bad because this is the end of the year period which is usually use to rejoice and bond with one another, it is really quite unfortunate.

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“The sad news actually jolted Sagamu community and up till now everyone is still in shock. People have kept calling the family members to sympathise with us and get updates

“Since the incident happened, we have been rallying round to see if it is possible to get to see our son but that has been impossible because of his status, we don’t know the hospital he was taken to and we can understand that such is being done to protect him being a world figure.

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“However, we have been in touch with his father and mother who are also in Nigeria and they have assured us that Joshua is fine. We are also thinking that it will be fine if they allow even if it just three of the family members to see him, we are all eager to see him but we will still respect the wish of the authority to keep him safe for now.”

Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, released a statement on Monday to confirm that the boxer was “OK” in a statement released on social media. “I am away on a family holiday and awoke to the news of this incident,” he said.

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“We are trying to contact Anthony and in the meantime we don’t want to speculate on how he is but thankfully he appears OK from what I have seen in the images. We are awaiting more more information on what has happened and will update in due course.”

An eyewitness account of the collision told the local media: “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.”