Can Jarrell Miller make the most of second Madison Square Garden chance?

Jarrell Miller has long craved a major world title fight at heavyweight. 

An expert in multiple fighting disciplines, the brash New Yorker’s moment in the spotlight could have occurred in 2019 when he was scheduled to be the man instead of Andy Ruiz who would destroy  Anthony Joshua inside Madison Square Garden. 

Miller will finally sample boxing’s Mecca this Saturday night, but it has been a twisted journey to the destination that was intended to be the setting where he would become world heavyweight champion six years ago. 

Long before that night, Miller had prophesied he would be the man to rid Joshua of his heavyweight titles as he constantly disrespected the British fighter in interviews and to his face. 

“I’m convinced Joshua has no chin and I think it’s only a matter of time before the whole world sees that too,” said Miller when speaking to this writer in Boxing News back in 2016. Harsh words, but a statement that was given a little weight when Joshua was floored four times by Miller’s replacement three years later. 

Losing that opportunity after failing a drugs test, Miller has since been disregarded by the sport and the bad guy persona he carefully crafted has taken on a more sinister tone and left him inactive for almost four years. 

This weekend, Miller faces Kingsley Ibeh and the fight surely represents his final chance to push on and compete with the biggest names at heavyweight, a platform Miller has long believed he is capable of operating on.

Losing his unbeaten record to Daniel Dubois in 2023, there was a belief that Miller’s window for success may have been closed, but he demonstrated his qualities against Ruiz the following year in a fight that many believed Miller should have won despite the fight being scored a draw.  

That remains the last time that Miller has seen any action and he approaches Ibeh following another lengthy absence, but this must be the last time when Miller’s activity is called into question. A win over Ibeh has to open doors, and if he can get past the American based Nigerian then who knows what could be next for Miller? 

Could he revisit a showdown with Fabio Wardley?

The pair were separated at a press conference last year when Miller was intended to face the Ipswich man at his home city’s football stadium, but the bout was postponed when Miller endured an injury leaving Wardley to instead knock out Justis Huni. 

With Wardley now the WBO champion, he holds something that will surely appeal to Miller, and with the pair already bitter rivals, reigniting that feud for the heavyweight title could end up being one of the most popular heavyweight fights of 2026. 

The road to redemption will likely never end for Miller as his failure to erase suspicion regarding his failed drug test already leaves a stain on his career to most observers of the sport. There was widespread applause when he was stopped by Dubois, but Miller’s aspirations are bigger than the opinions decimating him, and he is fully aware that victory over Ibeh will take him one step closer to his dream. 

That wish almost came true in 2019 when Miller held hopes of dethroning Joshua in the Garden on what turned out to be one of the most dramatic nights in boxing's history. If Wardley, or a similar lucrative fight comes next, the same venue could hold the same significance. 

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