Just a week after Anthony Joshua knocked out Jake Paul, the fighter was involved in a serious car accident that resulted in fatalities while visiting Nigeria. As more information about the incident emerged, Paul spoke out, offering his well-wishes to his former opponent.
While Jake Paul was plenty disrespectful toward Anthony Joshua and his boxing abilities in the lead-up to their big fight on Netflix, he was a class act in his latest statement. In what might have been a subtle statement to his many followers who might troll Joshua, Paul was sure to note that there are times when life is bigger than boxing:
Life is much more important than boxing. I am praying for the lost lives, AJ and anyone impacted by today’s unfortunate accident.December 29, 2025
A BBC report stated that Anthony Joshua was in Nigeria when a vehicle he was traveling in rear-ended a truck that had broken down on the road. Five men were confirmed to be involved in the crash, and two have died. As for Joshua, he's reportedly only suffering from minor injuries.
After Joshua defeated Jake Paul in front of a packed stadium and all those watching with a Netflix subscription, it was confirmed he had a much bigger fight on the horizon for the new year. Discussions are in place for the former Olympic Gold Medalist to take on Tyson Fury, assuming a deal can happen between the two.
As of the time of writing this story, it's unknown if this accident will impact any fight with Fury in 2026. Further details of the accident were provided by The Daily Mail, which reported that Anthony Joshua was seated behind the driver. Both passengers who passed away were on the right side of the vehicle and were reportedly British.
Joshua was born in Watford, but he has strong roots in Nigeria and reportedly visits the country regularly. He has family in the Sagamu area, and his great-grandfather adopted the surname Joshua after converting to Christianity. A family member in Nigeria said they had not seen the boxer yet but were expecting him, as he often visits the country during the new year.
While he was a world-renowned combat fighter ahead of his latest bout, Anthony Joshua rose to prominence yet again in the lead-up to his match with Jake Paul. The fighter was an overwhelming favorite to beat Paul, who seemingly took the match as a response to those who criticized the quality of his opponents after defeating an elderly Mike Tyson.
We at CinemaBlend offer our condolences to the friends and family of those lives lost in the car accident that involved Anthony Joshua. Here's hoping all others involved make a full recovery and can have a safe trip back home following the tragic incident.
