Tag: Jarrell Miller

Jarrell Miller receives license, to headline July 9 Top Rank card

Jarrell Miller has received his boxing license in Nevada and is scheduled to headline the July 9 Top Rank show in Las Vegas on ESPN.

Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller is back.

The former heavyweight contender has received his boxing license in Nevada and is scheduled to headline the July 9 Top Rank show at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on ESPN, BoxingScene.com is reporting. An opponent hasn’t been announced.

Miller’s career came to a abrupt halt last year, when he was scheduled to challenge for Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight titles on June 1 at Madison Square Garden only to test positive for multiple banned substances. He was subsequently suspended.

And Ruiz Jr. stepped in at the last minute to replace Miller and made history by stopping Joshua.

Miller, who hasn’t fought since he stopped Bogdan Dinu in four rounds in November 2018, signed with Top Rank in January. He’s also affiliated with Greg Cohen Promotions and Salita Promotions.

“Minor setback for a major comeback,’’ Miller (23-0-1, 20 KOs) said in a release announcing the deal. “I’m coming for everything and everyone. No one is safe. Say hello to the bad guy.

“Everyone wants to portray the superhero. We don’t live in a sunshine world. I’ll never be the superhero. In my world, the majority of the time, the villain wins.”

Bob Arum of Top Rank obviously believes in the 31-year-old from Brooklyn.

“Jarrell Miller is serious about coming back, doing things the right way and becoming heavyweight champion of the world,” Arum said. “He is one of boxing’s most unique and exciting characters, but most importantly, he can fight.”

July 9 in a Thursday. Two days earlier, Ivan Baranchyk is scheduled to face Jose Zepeda in a 10-round junior welterweight fight on ESPN.

 

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Jarrell Miller signs multi-fight deal with Top Rank

Jarrell Miller co-promoter Greg Cohen sentenced to prison for wire fraud

Video: DAZN’s Top 10 press conference moments

DAZN put together clips from 10 of the most-memorable moments at press conferences involving its fighters.

Some of the most entertaining moments of a promotion happen at press conferences.

It could be something orchestrated, such as models working for the sponsors being lowered to the stage holding the fighters’ title belts. Or it could be something more spontaneous, such as spirited trash talk, a push or a slap, or, on occasion, something worse.

In this video, the capable digital folks at DAZN put together clips from 10 of the most-memorable moments at press conferences involving fighters affiliated with the sports streaming service.

You’ll recognize many of the faces. You might not know others. Either way, you’re likely to be amused.

Check it out.

[jwplayer N3JYSbud]

 

Jarrell Miller, back in trash-talk mode, takes jabs at Wilder-Fury II

Jarrell Miller knows no shame, and is not afraid to let everyone know. The disgraced heavyweight took time to denigrate Wilder-Fury II.

Jarrell Miller is a disgraced drug cheat in the eyes of many, but don’t expect him to lie low.

With the ink still fresh from signing a multi-year promotional contract with Top Rank, the Brooklyn heavyweight is eager to make his ring return later this spring. He’s also apparently eager to get back to his trash-talking ways. His favorite target? The heavyweight division’s upper class. 

“Beyoncé wilder undercard is going to be a lil dry I think it need(s) a lil Juicing Up,” the Brooklyn heavyweight posted on Instagram Friday in a reference to the upcoming heavyweight title fight between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury.

Juicing up? Was that a Freudian slip? Or just Miller being Miller?

We might as well get used to it. Top Rank boasts a slew of heavyweights who can serve as potential opponents for Miller, including Kubrat Pulev, Carlos Takam and Agit Kabayel, to name a few.

Miller tested positive for several PEDs ahead of his scheduled tussle against then British titleholder Anthony Joshua in June 2018. He was dropped from the card but, in the opinion of many, the penalty he received was a slap on the rest: The WBA suspended him for six months while the New York State Athletic Commission, citing Miller’s expired license, took no punitive action.

After staying out of the headlines for a few months, Miller linked up with a new manager in James Prince, the manager of former two-time titleholder Andre Ward and current featherweight titleholder Shakur Stevenson.

In another post, Miller recorded himself addressing his followers about the Wilder-Fury pay-per-view tilt, comparing it to bodily waste.

“They want to give you a fart fight,” he said. “If you want to watch a fart fight on pay-per-view, I think Deontay Wilder-Fury might be your card. But if you want that smoke smoke, come holla at your boy, cuz I”m back and I’mma smoke somebody ass. I can’t wait, I really can’t wait.

“Big Baby is back. The most entertaining heavyweight in the game.”

Jarrell Miller signs multi-fight deal with Top Rank

Heavyweight contender Jarrell Miller has signed a multi-fight deal with Top Rank, it was announced Wednesday.

Jarrell Miller’s next move wasn’t a big secret. But it’s official. The heavyweight who calls himself Big Baby signed a multi-fight deal with Top Rank, it was announced Wednesday.

Miller, who was rumored to be in talks with Top Rank for months, reached an oral agreement with the promotional entity a couple of weeks ago, according to The Athletic.

The controversial Miller, who hasn’t fought since a stoppage of Bogdan Dinu in November 2018, was supposed to fight Anthony Joshua on June 1 last year but was disqualified when he failed a drug test. Andy Ruiz Jr. stepped in as a late sub and the rest is history. Ruiz stunned Joshua in a huge upset and then Joshua took back his belts on Dec. 7 with a decision over Ruiz in a rematch.

“Minor setback for a major comeback,’’ Miller (23-0-1, 20 KOs) said in a release announcing the deal. “I’m coming for everything and everyone. No one is safe. Say hello to the bad guy.

“Everyone wants to portray the superhero. We don’t live in a sunshine world. I’ll never be the superhero. In my world, the majority of the time, the villain wins.”

The Big Villain, all 300-plus pounds of him, gives Top Rank another heavyweight in a division that has been heating up as it awaits the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder rematch on Feb 22 on ESPN/Fox pay-per-view at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand. Top Rank co-promotes Fury

Miller’s Top Rank deal comes about a month after his co-promoter, Greg Cohen, was sentenced in New York to six months in federal prison for wire fraud involving a loan for a stock investment.

Cohen’s sentence also includes three years under supervised release and 150 hours of community service. Cohen, who co-promotes Miller with Dmitriy Salita, was quoted in the Top Rank release.

“I couldn’t be happier that after months of hard work and perseverance, we were able to make this deal a reality,” Cohen said. “Top Rank is the perfect partner and ESPN the perfect platform for Jarrell to realize his full potential and become the dominant force in the heavyweight division. Time for Big Baby to get back in the ring!”

Top Rank chairman Bob Arum was optimistic about Miller and his chances of playing a serious role in the heavyweight division.

“Jarrell Miller is serious about coming back, doing things the right way and becoming heavyweight champion of the world,” Arum said. “He is one of boxing’s most unique and exciting characters, but most importantly, he can fight.”

 

Heavyweights galore: Top Rank in talks with Jarrell Miller, Tony Yoka

Bob Arum’s Top Rank is close to signing Jarrell Miller and Tony Yoka, according to various reports.

Top Rank’s burgeoning heavyweight stable could get a little more crowded.

The Las Vegas-based promotional company headed by Bob Arum is in talks with highly regarded heavyweights Jarrell Miller and Tony Yoka on multifight deals, according to various reports. The fighters would join a heavyweight roster headed by Tyson Fury, who will challenge titleholder Deontay Wilder on Feb. 22 in Las Vegas.

Miller (23-0-1, 20 KOs), a 31-year-old New Yorker, is one of the top heavyweight contenders. He came under fire last summer after he tested positive for multiple banned substances ahead of a scheduled fight against British titleholder Anthony Joshua, who ended up losing to Andy Ruiz Jr. in a historic upset in June. Miller is co-promoted by Dmitry Salita and Greg Cohen. (Cohen was recently sentenced to six months in federal prison for wire fraud unrelated to boxing).

Yoka (7-0, 6 KOs), a 27-year-old native of Paris, won the super heavyweight gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He was promoted in the past by Richard Schaefer. Like Miller, Yoka saw his career stymied for reasons related to PEDs. In 2018, French officials suspended him for one year for allegedly missing three scheduled doping tests. Yoka returned to the ring in July 2019 with a knockout win over Alexander Dimitrenko. He followed up that with a stoppage victory over Michael Wallisch in September.

Arum was in France recently to meet with Yoka. Arum told the French news outlet RMC that negotiations were headed in the right direction.

“All the parties are in agreement, even if we haven’t signed anything yet,” he said. “The reason we’re here is to discuss the terms of the contract. Tony is a unbelievable young man, very intelligent, and we hope to see him fight in the United States in the spring under the Top Rank banner.”

After years of relative neglect when it came to boxing’s so-called glamour division, Top Rank has spent the past couple of years stockpiling heavyweights. It signed veterans Kubrat Pulev and Agit Kabayel. It has also scoured for big men on the grassroots level, scooping up prospects Sonny Conto, Guido Vianello and Jared Anderson.

Both Miller and Yoka are managed by James Prince, who also handlesTop-Rank promoted featherweight Shakur Stevenson and heavyweight Bryant Jennings.

Jarrell Miller takes his first steps back into boxing fold

Jarrell Miller, who threw away a chance to fight Anthony Joshua when he tested positive for PEDs, is working his way back into the sport.

Jarrell Miller is getting the red carpet treatment.

Not even six months out from his PED bust, the disgraced heavyweight contender has signed with noted manager James Prince, the fighter announced recently on his Instagram.

The news comes on the heels of a reported multi-year deal being mulled between Miller and Top Rank. Prince, also a music executive, currently manages Top Rank-promoted 126-pound titleholder Shakur Stevenson and Bryant Jennings. He is best known in boxing for managing the career of Andre Ward.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5as_AHhh9Y/

Miller drew headlines when he tested positive multiple times for banned substances leading up to his June 1 fight against Anthony Joshua. Aside from losing out on what would have been a career high payday, reported to be $6.5 million, Miller was stripped of his license in New York and banned for six months by the WBA.

Should Miller sign with Top Rank, he will join a heavyweight stable that includes Tyson Fury and Kubrat Pulev.

Miller (23-0-1, 20 knockouts) hasn’t fought since a fourth-round knockout of Bogdan Dinu in November of last year.

Anthony Joshua: ‘It’s been about being confident’

Anthony Joshua says he’ll be new and improved in his rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr. on Saturday in Saudi Arabia.

Anthony Joshua seemed to say Tuesday that we’ll see a different fighter from the one who was knocked down four times and stopped by Andy Ruiz Jr. in June. Joshua lost his three heavyweight titles that night.

They’ll meet against Saturday in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia on DAZN.

“I’m forever changing, that’s what training camp is about, evolution, like night and day,” Joshua said during an open workout. “I shed the skin from last time, re-built myself, and all I’m doing is going to win. That’s what I’m focused on.”

Many observers wonder about Joshua’s psyche after the way he lost to Ruiz, who said the Englishman quit.

Of course, we’ll see where Joshua’s mind is when he steps through the ropes but he’s saying the right words leading up to the fight.

Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz drew sizeable crowds to their open workouts on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia. Dave Thompson / Matchroom Sports

“It’s been about being confident, about knowing my capabilities,” Joshua said. “I’ve had a great training camp, I am well prepared, and ready to showcase my skills.”

Joshua (22-1, 21 knockouts) acknowledged that he has thought a lot about Ruiz (33-1, 22 KOs) and their first fight the past six months. Ruiz replaced Jarrell Miller as Joshua’s opponent after Miller tested positive for banned substances.

“He’s been on my mind five weeks prior to June 1 because that’s when he came in as my replacement, and he will be on my mind forever,” Joshua said.

And Joshua said fans should expect a third fight between them.

“If Andy Ruiz is dedicated to the game, we will see each other a third time down the line as well,” he said. “This won’t be the last time I see Andy Ruiz in the ring … because I think we make for good fights.”

Former employee sues promoter Greg Cohen for $1.5 million

Promoter Greg Cohen has at least one legal wrangle to sort out before he heads to federal prison. Clifford Mass seeks $1.5 million

Promoter Greg Cohen has at least one legal wrangle to sort out before he heads to federal prison.

Clifford Mass, a former employee of Cohen’s promotional company, is seeking more than $1.5 million in damages from Cohen for breach of contract, unpaid wages, breach of fiduciary duties, misrepresentation and fraud over an investment agreement that has not been fulfilled. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York on Jan. 31 of last year. The parties are expected to settle at a conference scheduled for Dec. 4.

Cohen was sentenced last week to six months in federal prison for wire fraud unrelated to boxing. He had 60 days to turn himself in.

According to Mass’ complaint, in March 2015 he invested $250,000 in Greg Cohen Promotions for a 5 percent financial stake. The arrangement called for Mass to “receive a 25 percent preferred return of the Promotional Profits until (he) received his $250,000.00 investment back” in addition to receiving “5 percent of the Promotional Profits in perpetuity.” Promotional profits are defined as revenue generated from not only GCP-promoted events, but also cases in which GCP fighters participated in events organized by other promoters. Cohen’s best known fighter is heavyweight contender Jarrell Miller (co-promoted by Dmitry Salita), who received a six-month ban in New York after testing positive for PEDs ahead of his projected fight against Anthony Joshua last summer.

Mass was employed by GCP from April 2015 to February 2018, or up until he filed his claim. His official title at GCP was Vice President of Business Development. According to the complaint, Mass was described at one point on the GCP website as “Right-hand man to Greg Cohen. … He works closely with Greg in talent acquisition, relationship management, strategic planning and various day-to-day aspects of the business.”

Mass claims that ever since he entered into the investment agreement, he has not received his cut from more than 40 GCP events and others staged by outside promoters, which include, but are not limited to, the following:

July 29, 2017 bout featuring Jarrell Miller
Nov. 11, 2017 bout featuring Jarrell Miller
Dec. 19, 2016 bout featuring Mason Menard
April 8, 2016 bout featuring Eric Hunter
March 5, 2016 bout featuring Antoine Douglas
Dec. 5, 2014 bout featuring Dennis Hogan
April 15, 2014 featuring Tony Louis

Mass is also looking to recover $14,000 he says he loaned to Cohen in January 2016. Mass says Cohen “demanded” the loan and that it would be repaid in two months. Mass arranged to wire the loan out of “concern for retribution.”

The lawsuit comes to light as Cohen stares down a six-month prison sentence for wire fraud after accepting $200,000 from an unnamed party for an investment that was never made.

Jarrell Miller co-promoter Greg Cohen sentenced to prison for wire fraud

Promoter Greg Cohen was sentenced to 6 months in prison for wire fraud last week in the Southern District Court of New York.

Boxing promoter Greg Cohen is headed to federal prison for wire fraud.

Cohen was sentenced last week in the The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York to six months in prison, three years supervised release and 150 hours of community service on one count of defrauding an individual by means of false pretenses, a federal offense.

Cohen accepted $200,000 for a stock investment that he never made in 2016. A spokesperson with the Department of Justice confirmed that the matter is unrelated to boxing. Cohen had 60 days to surrender for his term of imprisonment.

Cohen, who promotes middleweight Rob Brant and heavyweight Jarrell Miller, pleaded guilty to the charge, in accordance with a plea agreement with the government, and agreed to repay the $200,000.

In court documents obtained by Boxing Junkie, Cohen “induced a victim to invest in a purported stock transaction,” in the amount of $200,000, and which was to be “facilitated by a particular investment manager and had a guaranteed return, when in truth and fact there was no stock transaction, the particular investment manager was not at all involved and the return was not guaranteed.”

The victim claimed he asked Cohen to refund the investment, plus interest, within approximately 90 days but Cohen continually delayed repayment. In November 2017, the victim reached out to the the investment manager purportedly involved in the transaction only to discover that the manager had no knowledge of the kind of stock the victim described. Cohen’s bank records corroborated this, as they showed no evidence of a wire transfer to the manager in the amount of $200,000.

Cohen was arrested on Jan. 10, 2019 but released on bail.

He was able to modify his bail terms to travel to Japan this past July to accompany Brant for a middleweight fight against Ryota Murata.

Andy Ruiz’s trainer: ‘You’ll see a better fighter’ in Joshua rematch

Andy Ruiz Jr’s trainer, Manny Robles, says his fighter will be better prepared when he faces Anthony Joshua again on December 7.

Trainer Manny Robles repeatedly watches the video of Andy Ruiz Jr.’s upset of Anthony Joshua. But not to celebrate. That party is over. His critical eye is searching for what to do next.

Turns out, there’s plenty, more than enough to make Robles happy at the chances Ruiz can do it all over again on December 7 in Saudi Arabia on DAZN.

“Sitting back and looking at the fight on numerous occasions, I feel like he wasn’t at his best,’’ Robles told iFL TV. “I feel like we had more to do. More work to do mentally and physically. I feel you’ll see a better fighter, mentally and physically, this time around.’’

The key difference is that Ruiz isn’t a late stand-in for the rematch. For the June 1 bout in New York, Ruiz got the call after news of Jarrell Miller’s positive PED test. Ruiz said sure. He took the fight. Then he heard the jokes about his flabby upper body and his chances. He had nothing to lose, so he won it all.

Andy Ruiz Jr. (right) did fine in his first fight with Anthony Joshua but his trainer insists he can do better. AP Photo / Frank Franklin II, File

Now he’s in a new role, although he is still the betting underdog, yet by a much smaller margin than the 25-to-1 odds he faced six months ago.

“I think he’s still the same person outside of boxing, but this time around, I think he’s got a bigger responsibility, boxing-wise, knowing he’s a world champion,’’ Robles said. “He’s got that sense of responsibility.

“We talk about that from time-to-time. I tell him, ‘Look, this isn’t just about you anymore. You got a whole country behind you, here and in Mexico.’‘’

Taking the fight to Saudi Arabia was Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn’s decision. In effect, Robles said, it makes Ruiz feel like the challenger, even though he has three of the belts.

“We’d be fighting in America, maybe Las Vegas or Southern California,’’ Robles said. “With that said, we’re coming in as challengers. We understand we’re not the favorites.

“So we’ve got to prove the world wrong, and everyone that does not still believe, we’ve got to make them believe.”