Lagos, Nigeria. Former two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua was in stable condition in a hospital Monday after being involved in a car crash in Nigeria that killed two close friends and team members, his promoter said.

Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing said on X that Joshua “sustained injuries in the accident and was taken to hospital for checks and treatment” and would “remain there for observation.” The company identified the victims as Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.

Photos circulating on social media showed Joshua being extricated from a wrecked vehicle, appearing to be in pain.

“Following thorough clinical evaluations, medical professionals have confirmed that both patients hospitalized after the accident are stable and do not require any emergency medical intervention at this time,” the Lagos and Ogun state governments said in a joint statement.

Lagos State Commissioner for Information Gbenga Omotoso confirmed the crash in a post on X, adding that the government dispatched ambulances to the scene.

The accident occurred at about 11 a.m. local time on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, a major highway linking Ogun State with Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub. Nigeria is the homeland of Joshua’s parents.

Ogun State police earlier said the Lexus SUV carrying Joshua was involved in a crash under circumstances still under investigation. Joshua, who was seated in the rear of the vehicle, sustained minor injuries and was receiving medical attention along with another injured person.

According to Olusegun Ogungbemide, spokesperson for the Federal Road Safety Corps, preliminary findings indicated the vehicle was traveling above the legal speed limit, lost control during an overtaking maneuver and collided with a stationary truck parked by the roadside.

The Ogun state government said preliminary reports indicated that two male foreign nationals died at the scene.

Joshua recently defeated YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul on Dec. 19 in Miami in a bout aimed at sharpening his form. He lost the world heavyweight title in 2021 to Oleksandr Usyk.

“Life is much more important than boxing,” Paul said Monday. “I am praying for the lives lost, AJ and everyone impacted by today’s unfortunate accident.”

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu said he spoke with Joshua by phone while he was hospitalized.

“I conveyed my condolences over the death of his two associates,” Tinubu said on X. “I wished him a full and speedy recovery and prayed with him. I also spoke with his mother, who was deeply appreciative of the call.”

No further details on Joshua’s condition were released.

“Anthony Joshua is in an undisclosed hospital receiving treatment for his injuries,” Ogun State Police Commissioner Lanre Ogunlowo told the AP, adding that he had no additional information.

Hearn earlier told the Daily Mail he learned of the crash while on a family holiday.

“We are trying to contact Anthony and in the meantime don’t want to speculate,” Hearn said. “Thankfully, he appears OK from what I have seen in the images.”

Joshua briefly attended boarding school in Nigeria at age 11 and returned in 2019 ahead of a bout against Andy Ruiz Jr. He has been in talks to fight fellow Briton Tyson Fury in 2026.

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