ANTHONY JOSHUA "SCREAMING IN PAIN" AS FATAL LEXUS WRECK KILLS TWO CLOSE FRIENDS
Heavyweight Anthony Joshua is stable in a Lagos hospital after a fatal Lexus crash on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway killed two friends.
After a brutal car wreck in Nigeria that killed two of his buddies, Anthony Joshua reportedly cried out in pain. He's spending New Year's Eve in a fancy Nigerian hospital.
Joshua, the champ, was riding in a black Lexus that crashed into a parked truck on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Makun, Nigeria.
Sadly, two of his longtime friends, Sina Ghami and Kevin Latif Ayodele, didn't make it. Two other people in the car survived.
Sources close to Joshua say he'll be in the hospital for at least a couple more days. Insiders say he was screaming in pain as they pulled him from the wrecked car.
Someone at the scene caught footage of the boxer grimacing before he was put in a police car.
After the crash, Joshua was rushed to Duchess International Hospital in Lagos, which is considered the best private hospital in Nigeria.
Local police told Daily Mail Sport that Joshua is stable with only minor injuries, but there's worry that they could be worse than people are saying.
Police say the car crash happened because of a tyre blowout that made Joshua's Lexus spin out of control.
The Telegraph says traffic police think the car was going too fast (over 50 mph) and lost control while trying to pass another car on a road that locals say is super dangerous.
Babatunde Akinbiyi, a police commander, said the car's tyre blew out because it was going way too fast.
An eyewitness told the Punch newspaper, "There were two cars: a Lexus SUV and a Pajero SUV."
Joshua was sitting behind the driver, with someone else next to him. Another person was sitting next to the driver, so there were four people in the Lexus that crashed. His security was in the car behind them.
Other people and I helped rescue them and flagged down cars to help. A few minutes later, the Federal Road Safety Corps showed up.
Nigeria's president said that Joshua's mom, Yeta Odusanya, rushed to the hospital to be with him after she heard about the crash.
The hospital has a fancy service called the Harley Street Practice on the sixth floor, with Royal Suites for VIP patients.
Patients get personal care around the clock and access to medical and hospitality staff. They also get gourmet meals made just for them.
The basic Royal Suite with a bathroom starts at £2,000.
Joshua's representative put out a statement confirming the deaths of his two team members and close friends:
It's with deep sadness that we have to say that Sina Ghami and Kevin Lateef Ayodele died in a car accident in Lagos, Nigeria, earlier today.
They were close friends and important members of Anthony's team.
Please give their families space and privacy as they deal with this shocking news.
Anthony was hurt in the accident and taken to the hospital for checks and treatment. He's stable and will stay there for observation.
We won't be sharing any more information right now.
Joshua's rival, Tyson Fury, honoured the two men who died in the crash in an Instagram post:
"This is so sad," wrote Fury. May God give them a good place in heaven.
The crash happened at midday, just 10 days after Joshua beat Jake Paul in Miami.
The Daily Mail said that Joshua was visiting family in Nigeria for a week before starting training for a fight in late March, probably in Saudi Arabia against Rico Verhoeven, before a possible fight with Fury in September or October.
Even though we don't know exactly how badly Joshua is hurt, it's not likely he'll be ready to fight soon. There's also the emotional stuff he'll have to deal with after the accident that killed two other people in the car.
THE ROAD TO THE RING: HOW TYSON FURY AND AJ FINALLY SIGNED THEIR CAREER-DEFINING CONTRACT
It is finally happening: Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua is a done deal. Learn more about the planned fight and AJ's upcoming July warm-up.
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have agreed to fight in November, but it looks like both might squeeze in warm-up bouts before their big showdown.
Fury just got back in the ring earlier this month, outpointing Arslanbek Makhmudov in what was his first fight since losing a second time to Oleksandr Usyk in 202. At first, Fury said he’d only face Joshua next, but he’s starting to rethink that now that AJ officially signed on for their November fight.
Joshua’s set to fight Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia on July 25, and Fury might do something similar to stay sharp. Frank Warren, Fury’s promoter, told talkSPORT, “Tyson may want another fight to keep him ticking over; we’ll see. Tyson signed up for it months ago, but AJ’s on board now, so it’s happening. Looks like October. It’s a great fight, finally. The timing depends on venue availability.”
After beating Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Fury said he’d already signed the contract with Joshua. It got awkward after the decision. Fury grabbed the mic, called Joshua out, and tried to get him in the ring. Joshua just sat there, not moving, not saying a word.
Fury called Joshua’s reaction “a bit suspect, how he handled himself". Later, Joshua explained he wasn’t ready to say yes quite yet. He’d been in a nasty car crash in December that killed two close friends. Joshua said, “I was in a serious incident. There’s real stuff happening in my life. I’m not ducking anyone. Once I’m 100 per cent, I’ll fight.” His only fight in the last 19 months was a win over YouTuber Jake Paul.
Back then, Fury worried the fight might fall apart if Joshua decided to take a warm-up first. “He’s had his problems. We all have. God knows I’ve had problems myself. I’ve tried to kill myself before. So I get it. I’ve been up and down,” Fury said.
“I’ve been one step out of the mental institution. We’ve all got our troubles; that’s just life. If you’re in this game, you’re a boxer, or you’re not. The thing is, heavyweights can get knocked out by anybody. Even a journeyman can flatten a big name if they land the right shot.”
Fury made it clear he didn’t bring up Joshua during the build-up after his accident. “I gave him the space and respect he deserved. But he showed up today, and I asked him to step up for a fight. He should have come into the ring, but he didn’t answer. He didn’t want it. He didn’t even look like he wanted it. He just seemed stunned and didn’t know what to say.”
“Let’s get it on. For ten years, we’ve been circling each other. Still, there’s no guarantee this fight even happens next. Do I want it? Yes. But will it happen? Honestly, I have no idea.”
UNDISPUTED CHAMPION NAOYA INOUE CONFIRMS "READY STATE" AHEAD OF BLOCKBUSTER TOKYO DOME CLASH
A historic showdown: 32-0 champions Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani clash at the Tokyo Dome. Get the latest predictions and hype.
Everyone’s buzzing about the Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani showdown. It’s not just a big deal in Japan; it’s the kind of fight that’ll have the whole boxing world glued to their screens. They’re set to meet at the Tokyo Dome on May 2, and people are calling this the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history. You can feel the hype.
Both Inoue and Nakatani come in unbeaten, with matching records of 32–0. That alone turns this into something special. Inoue’s undisputed super bantamweight title is up for grabs, so the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Everyone’s got an opinion: fighters, experts, fans, and now the Moloney brothers from Australia have jumped in with their predictions. Jason Moloney knows what it’s like to face Inoue. Back in 2020, he shared the ring with him in Vegas and got stopped in the seventh. Jason respects Nakatani’s style; it’s awkward, rangy, and tricky to handle. He wonders how Inoue will crack that code but, honestly, he doesn’t see anyone beating Inoue right now. “As good as Nakatani is, I don’t think anyone can beat Inoue at the moment. I see Inoue winning the fight,” Jason said.
He talked about how Inoue’s just so well-rounded. Good at everything, no matter where the fight goes. Still, Jason pointed out Inoue’s willingness to trade his aggression makes him fun to watch, but it’s got him hurt in recent fights. Even so, Jason’s sticking to his prediction: Nakatani will have moments, but he’s backing Inoue.
Andrew Moloney fought Nakatani last year and went the distance. He sees Inoue as explosive ones with that snap in their movement and punches. Andrew respects Nakatani’s size, his speed, and his power but thinks Inoue’s footwork and explosiveness will be the difference. “Inoue’s explosiveness and foot speed will be the edge, closing the distance and letting go of those dynamite punches.”
Both Moloney brothers agree. Inoue’s got what it takes to win.
This fight’s not just about impressive records; it’s got two guys who’ve dominated their weight divisions. Inoue’s seen as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters right now. Nakatani’s got size, reach, and that unpredictable style, which could throw Inoue off. And since both men can finish a fight, expect real fireworks. This isn’t one to miss.
