World-renowned boxer Anthony Joshua escaped death by the whiskers on Monday after the car he was travelling in rammed into a stationary truck in Makun near his hometown Shagamu in Ogun State.
Eyewitnesses report that the incident occurred along a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway around past 11am on Monday afternoon.
The vehicle carrying Joshua, a Lexus Jeep with the number plate, KRD 850 HN, reportedly collided with a stationary truck under circumstances that are still being investigated.
Our reporter who witnessed the accident told PUNCH Online that Joshua sustained minor injuries, saying that two people died on the spot.
Adeniyi Orojo who stated that the accident happened just before Danco Filling Station in Makun, before Sagamu Interchange inward Ibadan axis of the road.He stated that two people died on the spot.
“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,” he said.
Fans have flooded social media with messages of concern, while local authorities continue to investigate the cause of the crash.
Efforts to reach the TRACE Commandant, Akinbiyi Babatunde on further updates about the crash were futile as calls placed to his line did not go through.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Police Command spokesperson, Oluseyi Babaseyi, said in a phone call that he would get back to our correspondent shortly.
“I’ve seen the videos too, but I will get back to you on it,” he said.
More updates on Joshua’s condition are expected shortly.
In a brief statement he later shared with our correspondent about 30 minutes later, he confirmed the crash, noting that “two died, while Joshua and one other have been hospitalised and are receiving treatment at a hospital that would not be disclosed.”
The Newsmatrics reports that the crash occured just nine days after Joshua’s fight with Jake Paul ended in a sixth round knockout by the former champion, who pocketed about $74 million after taxes.
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