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Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller was supposed to make his Top Rank debut on July 9 against Jerry Forrest, but that’s not happening.
The 31-year-old Miller, who hasn’t fought since Nov. 2018, was signed by Top Rank earlier this year, as they’re looking to fill out their roster with decent fighters, and he would also be a natural challenger for Tyson Fury down the line. Miller is big and charismatic and does a good interview, he can sell a fight, in theory.
But what’s happened here is why a lot of folks gave Top Rank some backlash for signing this guy in the first place. The former kickboxer — who also popped a positive test in that sport in California back in 2014 — has once again derailed the plans others had for him.
Matchroo Boxing, who co-promoted Miller at the time of his failed test last year, released him from his contract, as he was suspended by the New York commission. He recently did get a license back from the Nevada commission, and was set to face Jerry Forrest.
That’s up in smoke now, and so might his career be; Top Rank isn’t rushing to any big public statements or a decision on what to do with Miller, but this isn’t just a second strike in boxing (a third overall). To have this happen again, right now, as soon as he got a license back, is ridiculous, and is going to give anyone pause about actually promoting fights with him, because he can’t be relied on to make it to the fight.
Forrest’s promoter Lou DiBella told The Athletic that he’s “unfortunately” not surprised, and says nobody compelled Miller (23-0-1, 20 KO) to enter into PED testing over the last year. He also said, and many will probably agree with this, that Miller doesn’t belong in boxing “if all this is real,” meaning he didn’t somehow get a false positive on the test.