British heavyweight and Olympic gold medalist Anthony Joshua was riding in a speeding Lexus and survived a crash Monday morning in Nigeria that killed two others, authorities said.
The fatal incident occurred at about 11 a.m. local time on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, in Makun, Ogun State, in the far southwest corner of Nigeria, police said.
Ogun State Police Command said Joshua was a passenger in a Lexus SUV while the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) called the 36-year-old boxer’s car a Lexus Jeep.
That Lexus was involved in the accident “under circumstances that are currently being investigated,” according to an Ogun State Police Command statement.
The Lexus slammed into a stationary truck, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said.
“Preliminary findings indicate that the Lexus Jeep, which was suspected to be travelling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit on the corridor, lost control during an overtaking manoeuvre and crashed into a stationary truck well packed by the side of the road,” according to an FRSC statement.
Joshua escaped with only minor injuries, police said.
“He was seated in the rear of the vehicle, sustained minor injuries and receiving medical attention,” according to the police statement. “Tragically, two other passengers in the vehicle lost their lives at the scene. ”
Joshua burst on to the world stage at the 2012 London Olympics when he won superheavyweight gold for gold for Britain.
But American audiences might know him best for his decisive Dec. 20 win over social media star-turned boxer Jake Paul, in a Netflix bout watched by about 33 million people.
A representative for Joshua couldn’t immediately be reached by NBC News for comment on Monday.
Joshua (29-4) had won 24 of his first 25 pro fights after retaining the IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles with a ninth-round knockout of Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev on Dec. 12, 2020 in London.
He then suffered consecutive losses to Ukranian Oleksandr Usyk — first on Sept. 25, 2021 in North London and then again on Aug. 20, 2022 in Saudi Arabia.
Before the Paul bout, Joshua had another title shot on Sept. 21 last year in London, but defending IBF champ and fellow Brit Daniel Dubois dominated with a fifth-round knockout.
Brooke Glatz contributed.
