Jarrell Miller has done it again.
Just a year removed from a failed performance enhancing drug test that caused him to be pulled from the biggest fight of his career against Anthony Joshua, Miller has squandered a second chance by failing yet another test ahead of his July 9 fight against Jerry Forrest in Las Vegas.
Miller has been temporarily suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and it has been reported that Carlos Takam will step in as Miller’s replacement.
Last year, before the fight with Joshua, Miller tested positive for human growth hormone, EPO and GW501516. It is not known which substance was found in his system for his latest drug test.
MORE: Confirmed fights, dates for 2020
Miller’s promoter, Bob Arum, expressed his disappointment in an interview with Boxing Scene.
“He’s off July 9. We’re putting another heavyweight match in that the boys are finalizing now,” Arum said. “And, you know, we’re gonna be completely guided by the Nevada commission. If, in fact, which I believe to be the case, that this kid tested positive apparently for the same thing that kept him from going through with the fight with Joshua, the same substance, he absolutely has gotta be out of his mind.”
It was set to be Miller’s first fight since the highly publicized failed drug test last year that rocked the boxing world and set off a chain of events that led to Andy Ruiz Jr. pulling off a shocking upset of Joshua last June as Miller’s replacement.
Despite the egregiously failed series of tests that cost him a huge opportunity and a reported $6 million payday, Miller managed to land on his feet and sign a multi-fight contract with Top Rank in January.
Although the fighter known as “Big Baby” admitted that he “messed up” by failing several drug tests ahead of the fight with Joshua, he didn’t feign much remorse when announcing that he inked a deal with Top Rank. Miller (23-0-1, 20 KOs) went so far as embracing the role of the “bad guy.”
“In my world, the majority of the time, the villain wins,” Miller said in a press release announcing the deal.
That doesn’t seem to be the case this time.