Last night in Argentina, disgraced former heavyweight contender Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller returned to the ring for the first time since 2018 in picking up a 10 round unanimous decision over local journeyman Ariel Bracamonte. Miller, who came in at a whopping, great 341 pounds, was made to work hard all night in taking the decision win. Scores were 97-92, 97-92, 97-92. Miller remains unbeaten in improving to 24-0-1(20). Bracamonte, who was less than toned himself, gave it a real go with his swarming style, but he fell short and is now 11-8(6).
Miller, trying to put his well-documented failed drugs tests behind him (and hoping the fans will do the same) was understandably sluggish in the early going of last night’s fight, battling ring rust and carrying so much excess weight as he was. Miller took some shots, providing Bracamonte with a plodding target. Miller lost a point in the fourth round when he belted his opponent with a hard low blow. Bracamonte decided against taking the full five minutes of rest time he was entitled to.
Instead, Bracamonte went for Miller when the fight resumed. The small crowd, obviously pro-Bracamonte, cheered enthusiastically. It was in truth not a bad fight to watch, and Miller, for all his girth and excessive poundage, managed to maintain a pretty full gas tank throughout the ten sessions. Bracamonte was certainly game, and he was bleeding from both the nose and mouth as a result. Where Miller goes from here, we will have to wait and see.
The damage the 34 year old New Yorker did, to both the sport’s reputation and to his own rep and career, will not go away quickly. It will take some time for Miller to regain the trust of the paying fans; if he can ever actually do so. And Miller has to get working in the gym so as to shed some of that weight. Now based in Florida, Miller has got his comeback off the ground, whether his critics like it or not.