Jarrell Miller might get a shot at becoming a world heavyweight champion. The polarizing boxer from Brooklyn is in talks to face Kubrat Pulev for the WBA Regular heavyweight title.
Miller's career has been a rollercoaster. He's beaten some solid opponents like Gerald Washington and Tomasz Adamek. In 2019, he was set to fight Anthony Joshua but failed multiple drug tests, derailing that opportunity. Since then, he's had mixed results, losing to Daniel Dubois and drawing with Andy Ruiz last year.
Despite these setbacks, Miller's now ranked 13th by the WBA. His promoter, Dmitriy Salita, sees this as a chance to fulfill a long-standing promise:
"When I signed Jarrell years ago, I promised to do everything I could to help him become heavyweight champion of the world, following the rich Brooklyn, NYC heritage of Tyson and Riddick Bowe. It almost happened against Joshua, and now, with a title and a win over Pulev, a Joshua fight for the world title becomes bigger than ever."
On the other side, Pulev won the WBA Regular belt in December, beating Mahmoud Charr by unanimous decision. His promoter, John Wirt, confirmed to Sky Sports that they're considering Miller as an opponent:
"Yes, Kubrat is interested in a fight with Jarrell. We have several options on the table that we are currently exploring, and I can confirm that Jarrell is one of them. Given everything happening in the division, we believe this fight can make sense."
The WBA Regular title situation adds a layer of complexity to the heavyweight division. Oleksandr Usyk holds the WBA Super title along with the WBC and WBO belts. Meanwhile, Daniel Dubois is the IBF champion and is set to face Joseph Parker in February.
If Miller wins, he'd become America's first heavyweight champion in five years. But first, he'll need to overcome Pulev and the controversy surrounding his past failed drug tests. It's a fight that could reshape the heavyweight landscape and potentially set up bigger matches down the line.
