(Photo credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

Former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua sustained minor injuries in a car accident on Monday in Nigeria that claimed two lives, authorities confirmed.

Joshua, 36, was riding in the back of an SUV that collided with a truck on a busy expressway linking Ogun and Lagos at about 11 a.m. local time on Monday.

'The vehicle conveying Anthony Joshua, a Lexus SUV, was involved in the accident under circumstances that are currently being investigated,' a statement from Ogun State Police Command read.

'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.'

A police official provided more details on the accident to 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 the stationary truck parked along the road,' Ogun State Police Commissioner Lanre Ogunlowo said.

'For now, I'm aware of two fatalities and Joshua himself has been taken to an undisclosed hospital for medical attention.'

A friend of the fighter's told England's The Independent that Joshua is 'OK but badly shaken up.'

'We are trying to contact Anthony, and in the meantime, we don't want to speculate on how he is but thankfully he appears OK from what I have seen in the images,' Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, told Daily Mail Sport. 'We are awaiting more information on what has happened and will update in due course.'

Joshua, who has family roots in Nigeria, reportedly was on holiday in Africa.

The accident occurred 10 days after he knocked out Jake Paul in the sixth round of their Dec. 19 bout in Miami.

Joshua, who held the unified heavyweight championship from 2017-19 and 2019-21, is 29-4 with 26 knockouts. He is expected to have a fight with fellow Englishman Tyson Fury sometime in 2026.

--Field Level Media