Anthony Joshua’s Car Crash: Reactions and AFCON Updates

According to BBC Sport, Anthony Joshua was rescued from the wreckage of a car crash and subsequently transported to the hospital with minor injuries. The 36-year-old’s promotion team, Matchroom, released a statement on Monday evening confirming that Joshua is in a “stable condition” and will remain in the hospital for observation into the new year.

This incident occurred just ten days after Joshua’s significant bout against Jake Paul, where he achieved a sixth-round knockout victory amid a chorus of boos from the crowd. The knockout resulted in Paul sustaining a broken jaw.

Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen addressed the crash during the Africa Cup of Nations, offering his “condolences” and acknowledging Joshua’s impact in promoting Nigeria on the global stage. Speaking to Jay Harris of The Athletic, Osimhen expressed, “It’s devastating news. He’s been one of the huge celebrities that put Nigeria on the map. He’s done it for so many years. Something like this affects a lot of Nigerians. My condolences to the families of the deceased; it’s tragic to lose a life.”

Osimhen’s teammates voiced similar sentiments, with Birmingham City’s Bright Osayi-Samuel stating to ESPN: “It wasn’t great, especially since it happened back home. Thankfully, he [Joshua] was okay. It’s tragic to hear that two of his friends died. We just hope he gets better.”

Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi shared his thoughts on the emotional impact of the news, saying, “Man, it was a difficult one. When we heard he lost his family, it was very sad. I hope he can recover from that. I wish him strength, and to his family as well as the families of those who died. It was a difficult situation.”

These comments came after the Nigeria national team’s 3-1 victory over Uganda in the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations. Paul Onuachu opened the scoring midway through the first half as Nigeria aimed for a perfect start in the tournament. The task was made easier when Uganda’s goalkeeper, Salim Magoola, received a red card shortly after halftime. Midfielder Raphael Onyedika scored twice in quick succession, securing the win, although Rogers Mato managed a consolation goal for Uganda.

The win allowed Nigeria to progress to the knockout stages of the Morocco 2025 tournament as Group C winners, following victories against Tanzania and Tunisia prior to defeating Uganda. However, their next opponents remain undecided.

Nigeria is viewed as a strong contender for AFCON glory in Morocco this winter, having previously won the tournament three times—in 1980, 1994, and most recently in 2013. However, they will face significant competition from teams such as the Atlas Lions, Egypt, and Senegal, who have all advanced to the last-16 after successful group stage performances.

Defending champions Ivory Coast are concluding their group stage campaign with a match against Gabon tonight, having secured four points from their first two games and drawing 1-1 with Cameroon.