Promoter Lou DiBella believes boxing should send a “major message” in the wake of Jarrell Miller’s latest positive drug test.
Miller was set to make his comeback from a PED-related hiatus from the sport against Jerry Forrest, DiBella’s fighter, on July 9 in Las Vegas. However, he has tested positive again and the fight is off.
“Big Baby” failed three drug tests two-plus months before his scheduled title fight against Anthony Joshua in June of last year at Madison Square Garden, after which he was dropped from the card. He wasn’t suspended because he had yet to be licensed by New York. Still, his career was in shambles.
He has now failed five drug tests if you count one during his kick boxing career in 2014. He hasn’t fought since November 2018.
BoxingScene.com reported that Miller is not licensed in Nevada but officials in that state will treat him as such because he had submitted all necessary paperwork.
DiBella doesn’t believe Miller can be banned for life because he wasn’t suspended but he told BoxingScene.com that the powers that be must hand down a stiff penalty.
“The first time he tested positive, he wasn’t in boxing,” DiBella said. “The time he tested positive for everything [before the Joshua fight], no one suspended him. So, I think it’s gonna get into legalities, also. For everything that happened [before the Joshua fight], because of a technicality he wasn’t suspended. Now, that being said, do I think he should be suspended for life? Honestly, he doesn’t belong in boxing right now.
“And if it’s not a lifetime ban, it should be a very substantial ban. It should be something like three years. It should be something where a major message is sent. I’m not gonna say it has to be a lifetime ban. Part of the reason I’m not gonna say it should be a lifetime ban is because I think there’s something wrong with this kid. I know him forever and I just can’t bring myself to dislike him. I’ve always sort of liked him.
“But there’s some sort of psychological compulsion, where there’s something in his psyche that’s really f—ed up. It’s gotta be a very, very stringent penalty. I’m not necessarily gonna scream lifetime, but I can tell you, as a lawyer, the fact that he was not suspended by any state for what happened [before] the Joshua fight may make it difficult for them to issue a lifetime suspension.
“Three years for an athlete is an extraordinary amount of time. And that kind of suspension would not trouble me.”
DiBella feels the powers that be in boxing failed both his fighter and Miller by not requiring him to undergo year-round testing after his failed tests last year. He also said he’s not surprised that Miller failed another drug test.
Miller reportedly tested positive for GW1516, one of the drugs in his system when he was busted last year. The substance enhances aerobic power and endurance.
“I knew he was dirty,” DiBella told BoxingScene.com. “I just instinctively knew. But you know what? I’ve gotta be honest … I am mad at boxing. And it’s my industry, so I’m not eliminating myself when I say boxing. I’m mad at our industry because the kid is a troubled person and we didn’t do him any favors by not enforcing any normal protocols.
“When he blew that heavyweight title fight at The Garden, it was incumbent upon on some commission or the Association of Boxing Commissions or the ratings organizations or whoever to say, ‘You’re not fighting again unless you go into the 365-day-a-year testing.’ Legally, they felt they couldn’t suspend him. But they at least could’ve compelled him to be tested.
“At least that might’ve smoked this out when he didn’t have a fight scheduled. Or it might’ve kept him honest. This way, he has no reason to stay honest.”