Police have officially confirmed what caused the crash that injured Anthony Joshua and killed his two friends, as the boxing megastar’s mum touches down in Nigeria.
The British boxing superstar “narrowly escaped death” on Tuesday when the Lexus SUV he was in collided with a stopped lorry on the side of the notoriously dangerous Lagos-Ibadan highway.
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Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami, both close friends with the former heavyweight world champion, tragically died in the horror smash.
Joshua and the hired local driver of the vehicle were both pulled from the wreckage, with the boxing star’s mum making a mercy dash to be by her son’s side in hospital.
On Wednesday, Nigeria’s Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps Police Commander Babatunde Akinbiyi believes the Lexus “lost control” after it “experienced a tyre burst because of excessive speed.”
“From the preliminary investigation that was conducted, definitely there was overspeeding on the part of the SUV Anthony Joshua was travelling in,” he said.
“In the course of that, the front tyre on the passenger side burst,” he said.
“That led to loss of control before the vehicle now swerved and rammed into the stationary truck that was parked. There was excessive speed….”
Photos and videos of the crash site show a truck parked off the tarmac road, close to the inside lane of a three-lane carriageway.
Both Joshua and the driver, who were sitting on the left side of the vehicle, survived the smash with the driver still in intensive care.
Joshua was left with minor injuries and rushed to a medical facility in Lagos after the crash.
It is understood he will remain in hospital for a few more days with the 36-year-old’s mum, Yeta Odusanya, arriving at her son’s side at the Duchess International Hospital in Lagos, according to local media.
While Joshua escaped the mangled wreck of the car, two of his closest friends died at the scene.
Childhood friend Latif Ayodele and trusted fitness guru Sina Ghami were both travelling with the boxing superstar when the horror smash occurred.
Latif and Sina, who were sitting on the same side of the Lexus, are believed to have died instantly.
An injured AJ was hauled from the car in front of dozens of locals who witnessed the fatal smash with video from the scene showing him wincing as he was pulled from the mangled wreck.
A statement from an official spokesperson for Anthony Joshua, released after the collision read: “Anthony Joshua was involved in a road traffic accident in Lagos, Nigeria, earlier today.
“With profound sadness it has been confirmed that two close friends and team members Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele have tragically passed away.
“Matchroom Boxing and 258 BXG can confirm that Anthony sustained injuries in the accident and was taken to hospital for checks and treatment.
“He is in a stable condition and will remain there for observation.
“Our deepest condolences and prayers are with the families and friends of all those affected – and we ask that their privacy is respected at this incredibly difficult time.
“No further comment will be made at this time.”
Doubts are now being cast over if AJ will ever return to a boxing ring – especially amid rumours of a mega-fight with Tyson Fury.
The extent of Joshua’s injuries remain unknown but they were described as “minor” by police chiefs who assessed him at the scene.
He will also have to overcome the mental trauma of what happened on the holiday and deal with the impact of witnessing his friends’ deaths.
Latif and Sina were a huge part of “Team AJ” and were alongside Joshua for almost all of his stellar career.
Strength and conditioning coach Sina was in the boxer’s corner for the Jake Paul fight in Miami just two weeks ago when AJ knocked out the YouTuber in the Netflix mega-fight.
Joshua had been tipped to return to the ring by early 2026 following a lengthy lay-off after his shocking defeat to Daniel Dubois in September 2024.
His promoter and long-term friend Eddie Hearn said earlier this month that once that fight is out of the way, they will focus on the Fury matchup.
AJ was reportedly pencilled in to take on British foe Fury in one of the biggest fights in British boxing history before the tragic accident.
Fury has since paid tribute to the deceased victims of the horror crash and offered his condolences to Joshua.
The Gypsy King, 37, wrote: “This is so sad. May God give them a good bed in heaven,” alongside a picture of Latif and Sina.
– This article first appeared in The Sun and was republished with permission