It was a bright Monday morning in Ogun State, Nigeria, on 29 December 2025, when 36-year-old Anthony Joshua set out on what was meant to be a peaceful holiday after a big win in the ring. Just days earlier, Joshua had returned home from Miami, where he scored a knockout victory over rival Jake Paul, a fight that grabbed headlines around the world.

That day, he was travelling along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, one of the busiest roads in southwestern Nigeria. Joshua was a passenger in a Lexus SUV, heading with a small group that included friends and members of his entourage. The road was bustling, the sun high, and spirits seemed high as Joshua enjoyed his time back in a land tied deeply to his family roots.

But then everything changed in an instant.

Eyewitnesses say the SUV suddenly collided with a stationary truck parked along the edge of the road near Makun, not far from Joshua’s ancestral hometown of Sagamu. The impact was severe. The force of the crash ripped metal and shattered glass, throwing the vehicle off-balance in a chaotic blast of noise and motion.

People nearby rushed forward. Local motorists, emergency responders, and even strangers worked together to pull those inside from the wreckage. Among them was Joshua, shaken but conscious, with dust and grit on his clothes and a dazed look in his eyes. He was helped out of the crumpled SUV amid the frantic scene.

Medical teams soon arrived and took Joshua to a nearby hospital. Remarkably, his injuries were described as minor, and he was reported to be stable and being treated by doctors.

Yet the morning’s good fortune for Joshua was shadowed by tragedy. Two other individuals in the vehicle did not survive the crash — their lives ended instantly in the collision. Local police confirmed their deaths and began an immediate investigation into what had caused the crash.

Officials and Joshua’s team have been communicating with authorities as more details emerge. His promoter, Eddie Hearn, said they were still trying to get complete information but that Joshua appeared to be okay from the initial reports.

As emergency services cordoned off the scene that day, the reality of how quickly life can change was clear. A boxer known for conquering opponents in the ring now faced a different kind of challenge — recovery and, most importantly, the sorrow of lives lost in a moment that no one expected.