Anthony Joshua was injured in a horrific car accident in Nigeria that claimed the lives of his friends and team members Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele.
The accident took place on the Lagos-Ibadan highway, recognized as the most dangerous road in the African country. The accident occurred when the Lexus in which Joshua, Ayodele, Ghami and two other men were traveling, driven by a local driver, lost control during an overtaking maneuver and collided with a parked truck.
According to Nigerian officials, two of the passengers were unharmed, while that Ayodele and Ghami were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Joshua and the other survivor were immediately hospitalized.
Hours after the terrible event, investigators have revealed that the fatal accident that claimed the lives of two members of Anthony Joshua’s team and left the heavyweight boxer injured was caused by a tire that exploded “due to excessive speed.”
He Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) had previously stated that the Lexus was suspected of exceeding the speed limit and crashing while overtaking. A theory that seems to be confirmed.
Tire burst
Police Commander Babatunde Akinbiyi, of the Nigerian Traffic Enforcement and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), says that initial investigations show that the Lexus was traveling on the Lagos-Sagamu highway when “experienced a tire burst due to speeding” and then “lost control.”
A theory that has also been confirmed by the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo: “The accident occurred as a result of a tire burst on AJ’s vehicle, which caused the driver to lose control and the vehicle to swerve into the truck parked on the side of the road.”
It is therefore the same cause which caused the Diogo Jota accident last July. The footballer’s tragic accident was due to a tire burst while overtaking at excess speed on the A-52 highway, which caused him to lose control of his Lamborghini, crash into a barrier and the car to catch fire, causing his death and that of his brother Andrés. The police investigation then pointed out to the combination of high speed, a defective or worn tire and the poor condition of the road itself as key factors in the tragedy.
A team of doctors
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn paid tribute to the two great men who died in the crash. He said: “Rest in eternal peace, Sina and Latz. My most sincere prayers are with everyone.
Boxing expert Steve Bunce described Ghami and Ayodele as “two of Joshua’s closest friends” and as “important parts of the Anthony Joshua machine.”
The Ogun State Government has also updated the boxer’s medical situation. “A full medical team has been assembled who will continue to monitor them closely. Anthony Joshua is conscious and has remained in communication with his family.”
Joshua, 36, was on vacation in Nigeria after his victory over Jake Paul on December 19.
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