Anthony Joshua Escapes Death After Seat Swap Before Fatal Crash That Killed Two Friends

Anthony Joshua narrowly avoided death in a car crash that killed two of his friends after a last-minute seat swap, UK’s Daily Mail reports.

The former world heavyweight boxing champion, 36, had initially been seated in the front of his SUV but moved to the back shortly before the crash. The accident claimed the lives of Sani Ghami and Latif Adeyole, who had just arrived in Nigeria for a holiday.

Joshua’s driver, 47-year-old Kayode Adeniyi, appeared in court on Friday and denied all charges, including dangerous driving. Wearing a black Muslim kaftan, Adeniyi pleaded not guilty, maintaining that brake failure caused the accident. He has driven Joshua for over three years and was granted bail, later escorted to Sagamu Correctional Centre for paperwork.

Adeniyi’s lawyer, Olalekan Abiodun, told the Daily Mail, “My client has pleaded not guilty and what happened was an accident. He says the brakes did not work. When the journey started in Lagos, Anthony was sitting in the front seat, but the driver asked him to move behind because he couldn’t see the wing mirror properly.”

The report notes that one of Joshua’s friends later swapped seats with him—the side of the SUV that was hit during the crash.

Outside court, Adeniyi’s family expressed their distress. His 19-year-old son, Ifeoluwa, said, “The family is very upset by what’s happened and we are sorry for the deaths of the two people. Dad is not a fast driver; he was following the speed limit. The brakes failed, and he tried to swerve to avoid a truck parked illegally by the side of the road but couldn’t avoid it. He’s been driving for Anthony for three years and is a good driver. If the truck hadn’t been parked there, this wouldn’t have happened.”

The tragic incident occurred just minutes after the group had been picked up from the airport and were on their way to visit Joshua’s family in Sagamu.