Boxer Anthony Joshua was involved in a serious car accident in Nigeria on Monday that reportedly left two people dead.
The British-Nigerian boxer was a passenger in a vehicle traveling on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway near Joshua’s ancestral hometown of Sagamu when the accident occurred. Joshua was seated in the rear of the vehicle and is being treated for minor injuries.
Ogun State Police released the following statement to the media:
“The vehicle conveying Anthony Joshua, a Lexus SUV, was involved in an accident under circumstances that are currently being investigated.”
“He was seated in the rear of the vehicle, sustained minor injuries and is receiving medical attention. Tragically, two other passengers in the vehicle lost their lives at the scene.”
Police commissioner Lanre Ogunlowo told ESPN:
“The accident happened as a result of a burst tire on AJ’s vehicle, which caused the driver to lose control and the vehicle to swerve into a stationary truck parked along the road.”
“For now, I’m aware of two fatalities and Joshua himself has been taken to an undisclosed hospital for medical attention.”
The Nigerian Federal Road Safety Corps also released a statement on the cause of the crash, saying excessive speed and overtaking played a role:
“Preliminary findings indicate that the Lexus Jeep, which was suspected to be travelling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit on the corridor, lost control during an overtaking manoeuvre and crashed into a stationary truck well packed by the side of the road.”
Joshua is coming off a sixth-round knockout of Jake Paul on December 19 in a fight that aired on Netflix.
Paul released the following statement regarding the news:
“Life is much more important than boxing. I am praying for the lost lives, AJ and anyone impacted by today’s unfortunate accident.”
Life is much more important than boxing. I am praying for the lost lives, AJ and anyone impacted by today’s unfortunate accident.
Anthony Joshua, a two-time heavyweight champion, suffered minor injuries in a car crash in Nigeria on Monday that resulted in two fatalities, local police have confirmed. https://t.co/RbnMDrSl6v
Preliminary findings indicate that the Lexus Jeep, which was suspected to be travelling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit on the corridor, lost control during an overtaking manoeuvre and crashed into a stationary truck well packed by the side of the road.
Garrett and I just did our week in review talking about the New Japan angles, The Rock vs. Roman Reigns, Mercedes Mone, Kevin Dunn, AEW business and other stuff from the new issue of the Observer. Bryan and I did a show last night covering Wrestle Kingdom and will be back Sunday covering Smackdown, Collision, and New Year’s Dash.
Francis Ngannou will box Anthony Joshua on 3/9 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I explained on the show today how this fight happening as a major fight shows how much Saudi Arabia has changed the landscape. After Tyson Fury vs. Ngannou bombed so badly on PPV, the idea a fight like this would be made that also likely won’t do business on PPV but where the participants will have huge guarantees wasn’t there because it wouldn’t have made economic sense. But now that doesn’t matter because Saudi Arabia will make it make economic sense.
Joshua is opening at -500 because almost all betting money was coming in on Joshua.
A correction from yesterday’s issue as the 2/24 AEW Collision/Rampage taping is in Springfield, MO, not Springfield, MA.
Smackdown tonight from a sold out Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC:
LA Knight vs. AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton – winner faces Roman Reigns for the title at the Royal Rumble
Iyo Sky vs. Michin for the WWE women’s title
Kevin Owens vs. Santos Escobar – winner faces Logan Paul for the U.S. title at the Royal Rumble
Pretty Deadly vs. Butch & ?
Reigns and Logan Paul appear on the show. There has been talk of the return of Authors of Pain with Paul Ellering tonight. Also backstage include Drew McIntyre, Rhea Ripley and Ivy Nile.
Rampage tonight at 10 p.m. on TNT
Matt & Jeff Hardy & Mark Briscoe vs. Butcher & Blade & Kip Sabian
We’re looking for your thoughts on the New Japan Tokyo Dome show and the Jan. 2 NOAH show, thumbs up, down or middle along with a best and worst match to [email protected]
We’re looking for reports on these weekend shows:
Smackdown tonight in Vancouver, BC (dark matches only)
NXT tonight in Melbourne, FL
AEW Collision tapings tomorrow in Charlotte, NC (ROH and dark match reports)
WWE house show tomorrow in Spokane, WA
NXT house show tomorrow in Sebring, FL
WWE house show Sunday in Wenatchee, WA
We’re looking for results, finishes and highlights to [email protected]
There is another big show tonight at Arena Mexico. The gimmick is that the next three Fridays they are doing rematches of the best matches of 2023. Mascara Dorada vs. Templario in a 2/3 fall match headlines, plus Tessa Blanchad is on the show and the semi is Stephanie Vaquer vs. Lluvia.
Pat McAfee accused ESPN exec Norby Williamson of attempting to sabotage him by leaking negative ratings information to the New York Post The Post wrote a story saying that McAfee wasn’t drawing good enough numbers to justify all the bad press he gets with his show, which started on the station in September. McAfee praised ESPN itself, but said there are people actively trying to sabotage us, and mentioned Williamson’s name, calling him a rat and an enemy in our own camp. This all stemmed from Aaron Rodgers going on his show and implying that Jimmy Kimmel was associated with Jefrey Epstein. Kimmel denied that and that led to McAfe and Rodgers getting heavily criticized and ESPN apologizing for what happened. But ESPN today sent out a press release praising McAfee’s numbers. This led to a lot of TV criticism because they used Tik Tok and social media views in the release which television stations rarely do because they are measured so differently.
Neon, who may end up being the next big thing out of Mexico, will be on the next two Fridays. The 1/19 show has Neon & Futuro vs. Magnus & Rugido in a match that was incredible when it first happened. Mascara Dorada & Neon will also be a tag team in the Gran Alternativa tournament, so this may be Neon’s start of a meaningful push.
A Go Fund Me has been set up for the family of Kurtis Chapman aka Mad Kurt, who passed away this past week. All money will go directly to the family to help in this difficult time. In hours, they had 12,960 pounds donated when the goal was 5,000, with the top donators being Will Ospreay (2,000 pounds), Dan Moloney (1,000 pounds) and Chris Jericho (1,000 pounds).
Atsushi Onita was announced for the 4/5 Battleground Championship Wrestling show at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.
Impact+ is now called TNA+
Lots of news coming out of New Year’s Dash today, with these among the matches set up:
Tetsuya Naito vs. Sanada for the IWGP World title
Will Ospreay vs. Kazuchika Okada (now official for 1/13 in San Jose)
Jon Moxley vs. Shingo Takagi no DQ (1/13 in San Jose)
United Empire with Will Ospreay vs. Bullet Club War Dogs in a cage match in Osaka at the New Beginning show
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Matt Riddle for the Tv title
Bryan Danielson vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
Okada & Tanahashi & Tomohiro Ishii vs. TMDK for the trios titles
Desperado vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru for the jr. title
Logan Paul announced a buyback program involving his CryptoZoo game. The game has led to a class action lawsuit involving Paul and his former business partners. Paul said he would make things right one year ago and now announced he’s buying back Base Egg and Base Animal CryptoZoo NFT’s for their original purchase price through 2/8.
The Discovery Channel is bringing back a six episode run of Big Little Brawlers, about mini pro wrestlers that will air at 10 pm. Tuesday nights starting this week. It’s a reality show about wrestlers in the Micro Wrestling Federation in Tennessee.
CFFC announced its first Muay Thai event for 1/27 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.
Fubu Sports announced live streaming of Xtreme Fighting 13 from Long Beach tomorrow night for free at 8 p.m. Eastern.
Defy returns to Washington Hall in Seattle on 2/9 featuring the debut of Mustafa Ali.
Tickets for the New Japan show on 4/12 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago go on sale a week from today and there will be a pre-sale Thursday with the code NJPW.
Chris Weidman faces Bruno Silva on a 3/30 UFC show in Atlantic City at Boardwalk Hall.
Wrestling Observer Live with Mike Sempervive is back today, and he’s joined by Will Cooling of Fighting Spirit Magazine. We talk about Will’s newest column for FSM, on how he feels WWE is missing the mark creatively, and what lessons they can take from the current success of scripted American television. How WWE is influencing the scene throughout the Kingdom and Ireland, the next names everyone will know, is the Sky the limit for Anthony Joshua?, and more! A fun show as always, so check it out~!
