Can New Yorker Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller make up for lost time, for his own shortcomings, here in 2020? One big plus on Miller’s side is the big promotional deal he has just signed with Top Rank.
As per a story from Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, Miller – who as all fans know blew a title shot against Anthony Joshua last June due to testing positive for three banned substances – has signed off on the deal and he is now awaiting a date for his return fight.
Miller, last seen dusting off a game but over-matched Bogdan Dinu back in November of 2018, was to have returned on the under-card of the big Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury rematch card in Las Vegas on February 22, against the tough Carlos Takam, but this is no longer the case.
“All parties have signed off on the agreement,” Carl Moretti of Top Rank said to ESPN.com. “There is no date set for his comeback. We are currently reviewing the schedule.”
So although Miller, 23-0-1(20) will not be fighting on the big rematch card, we can look forward to his return this year. Big Baby should have no real trouble getting good fights on ESPN, with Top Rank looking after him. The big plan is for fellow Top Rank promoted fighter Fury to fight Miller somewhere down the line:
“Top Rank promotes Tyson Fury, and with the way he can talk and fight and with the way Jarrell can talk and fight, if they both continue to be successful, that will be a mega event in the near future,” Dmitry Salita, co-promoter of Miller said.
But first Miller, who has presumably been keeping himself busy and in decent shape in the gym, needs to regain the support, the trust (if he can) of the fans. By his own admission, Miller screwed up big time in taking the stimulants he took last year, and he now has to convince the paying public that this was just a one-off (or a three-off!)
A good fighter, an even better talker, it is perhaps time to give Miller a break and welcome him back to his day job. That Takam match-up was a good idea, and though it won’t happen next month, maybe Miller and Takam can fight later on this year.