Promoter Eddie Hearn believes Jarrell Miller owes him money for the collapse of a fight with Anthony Joshua in 2019.
The Matchroom boss had a June date secured for Joshua’s United States breakout fight. Miller got selected as the ideal opponent for AJ to hit the ground running with his attempt to break America.
But weeks before the event, “Big Baby” tested positive for three banned substances, and the fight got canceled. Not wanting to cancel the event, Hearn brought in Andy Ruiz Jr. on late notice.
The consensus thought Joshua would have far too much for Ruiz on the night. However, this wasn’t the case as a nervous AJ got knocked out badly at Madison Square Garden.
It was a disaster for Joshua’s US reputation. Something he’s never recovered from fully.
Hearn lays that blame firmly at Miller’s door for his decision to ‘cheat’ himself out of the fight.
“Some fighters I genuinely believe have made mistakes. Some have just outright cheated,” Hearn told talkSPORT.
“You have to understand. When he failed the drug tests for the Anthony Joshua fight, he injected things into him to beat Anthony Joshua. That’s outrageous, that’s criminal.
“Ultimately, I don’t think he should be allowed to fight again, but I’m not the governing bodies, I’m not the commissions.”
“I like Jarrell Miller. I think he’s a nice guy, but the fact is he repeatedly cheated to try to gain an unfair advantage in a fight against another athlete.
“And he owes me money, genuinely. And he will be paying me,” added the Essex man.
Jarrell Miller debt
How Miller is in debt to Hearn wasn’t fully explained. However, the New Yorker is now back in the win column after appearing at the KO Drugs Festival hosted by the WBA last week.
A decision win over Ariel Bracamonte didn’t set the world alight as Miller competed when 25 pounds overweight.
There’s still a lot to do for Miller to be able to pay Hearn back, potentially in a future redemption fight with Joshua.
It certainly could sell in terms of a grudge fight, given what Hearn has stated in the media.
