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Jarrell Miller says he’ll return in October after suspension, wants new promoter

Jarrell Miller. Photo courtesy of Getty Images
Fighters Network
05
Aug

NEW YORK —Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller has not been hiding from cameras after his multiple failed tests for performance enhancing drugs several months back. The 31-year-old from Brooklyn was in attendance at Barclays Center to cheer on his friend Adam Kownacki against Chris Arreola on Saturday. 

“I think my boy Adam took more hits than I wanted him to take but Arreola was a tough opponent tonight, he came ready and prepared,” said Miller (23-0-1, 20 knockouts) as he waited for the torrential rains to die down outside of the venue. 

“Of course I’m a fighter, so watching that gave me the itch. I know that we have some business to take care of but we’ll be back October,” Miller added before enumerating how much longer he has left in his WBA issued suspension, which concludes on September 19. “I think it’s 47 days and counting. I can’t wait.”



Miller was supposed to face then-unified heavyweight titleholder Anthony Joshua on June 1 at Madison Square Garden, but those plans were scuttled in April when HGH, EPO and GW1516 came up in various pre-fight tests administered by VADA. That title opportunity went to Andy Ruiz Jr. instead, and Ruiz made the most of his opportunity with the upset knockout.

“He got his ass whipped. I told people that from day one. When he fights somebody that brings it and don’t give a shit, he’s gonna crumble. I’ve been said that from day one that AJ is soft and he proved it again,” said Miller.

Miller says he’s currently working to free himself from his promotional ties to Dmitriy Salita, the New York based promoter who has guided him since 2014. The two have had issues in the past, with Miller attempting to declare himself a free agent after citing breach of contract in 2016.

“I think Dmitriy, he’s not for the fighter, he’s about himself with his money in his pockets. That’s not where I want to be,” said Miller, who is co-promoted by Greg Cohen Promotions. “I love the sport of boxing so if I make a mistake in this game, I want to own up to it and fix where I went wrong, and that’s what I’m doing. 

“I think I want to be with a promoter that’s not only about the fight, but ethically is just a good person.”

Salita declined to comment when reached by email.

“We’re just figuring out where I wanna go now, what network, what promoter is the best fit for me. A lot of offers on the table, we’re gonna figure it out,” said Miller.

Ryan Songalia is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and part of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism Class of 2020. He can be reached at [email protected].

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