Anthony Joshua, the two-time world heavyweight champion, has been injured in a car crash that killed two people.

The Lexus Jeep, which was carrying Joshua, collided with a stationary truck along a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibidan expressway in Makun, Ogun State.

Photos of the Jeep’s registration number and Joshua, sitting in the back seat surrounded by broken glass, began to surface online in the aftermath of the incident, as did a video clip of Joshua leaving the vehicle in visible pain.

The 36-year-old, who was born in Watford but has family roots in Sagamu, which is close to the crash site, sustained minor injuries while two others "died on the spot." Nigeria's Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said the Lexus was "suspected to be travelling beyond the legally prescribed speed limit".

The FRSC added the car appeared to have "lost control during an overtaking manoeuvre" before crashing int a stationary truck on the side of the road.

An eyewitness, named as Adeniyi Orojo, who was also described as ‘part of the rescue mission’ described the full horror of the collision.

Orojo told Punch: “It was a two-vehicle convoy: a Lexus SUV and a Pajero SUV. Joshua was seated behind the driver, with another person beside him.

"There was also a passenger sitting beside the driver, making four occupants in the Lexus that crashed. His security detail was in the vehicle behind them before the crash.

"Other eyewitnesses and I began the rescue and flagged down oncoming vehicles to assist. A few minutes after the crash, officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps arrived. The passenger beside the driver and Joshua died on the spot."

Those two passengers have since been named as Sina Ghami and Latif Adoyele, two of Joshua's closest friends and team members.

Prince Dapo Abiodun, the governor of Ogun State, released a statement, part of which read: "Anthony Joshua and another passenger were promptly evacuated to a specialised medical facility in Lagos. Following thorough clinical evaluations, medical professionals have confirmed that both patients are stable and do not require any emergency medical intervention at this time. A full medical team has been constituted and will continue to monitor them closely.

"We can also confirm that Anthony Joshua is conscious and has been in contact with his family."

Joshua is on holiday in Nigeria following his victory over Jake Paul in Miami on December 19. The London 2012 Olympic gold medalist stopped former Youtuber Paul in the sixth of their eight-round contest at Kaseya Center.

He had been scheduled to return to the ring in either February or March with a summer showdown with the currently retired Tyson Fury still part of his plans.