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Posted on 11/16/2018

By: William Holmes

On Saturday, November 17th Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing will put on a stacked card live from the Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, Kansas on the DAZN streaming service.

The card was originally scheduled to take place in Atlantic City, but the addition of Olympic Bronze Medalist Nico Hernandez, already a big draw in Kansas, was a factor in the change of venues.

The card is stacked with talent, including fighters such as Anthony Sims, Gabriel Rosado, Luis Arias, Nico Hernandez, and Canelo’s older brother Ramon Alvarado.

The main event of the evening is a heavyweight bout between Jarell Miller and Bogdan Dinu, with future title implications on the line. The co-main event of the evening is between Claressa Shields and Hannah Rankin for Shield’s IBF and WBA titles as well as the vacant WBC Middleweight Title.

The following is a preview of the co-main event and main event of the night.

Claressa Shields (6-0) vs. Hannah Rankin (5-2); IBF/WBA/WBC Women’s Middleweight Titles

Claressa Shields is one of the biggest names in woman’s boxing, and she has her sight set on some possible big money matches against Christina Hammer, she first has to get past Scottish boxer Hannah Rankin.

Photo Credit: DAZN USA Twitter Account

Shields is easily one of the top pound for pound female boxers in the sport today. She’s a two time Olympic Gold Medalist and her only loss as an amateur was to Savannah Marshall. She’s never tasted defeat and has two stoppage wins on her record. She’s the same size as Rankin, both stand at about 5’8”. But she’s five years younger than Rankin as Shields is only 23 years old.

Rankin only has one stoppage win on her resume and she did not have the amateur success that Shields enjoyed. Rankin however, has never been stopped but did lost her last bout

Both boxers have been fairly active. Shields fought twice in 2018 and three times in 2017. Rankin fought three times in 2018 and four times in 2017.

Shields only has six professional fights but has never faced an opponent with a losing record. She has defeated the likes of Nikki Adler, Tori Nelson, Hanna Gabriels, and Szilvia Szabados. Rankin’s best win to date was against Sanna Turunen. She has lost to the likes of Joanna Ekedahl and Alicia Napoleon. Her wins include wins against opponents with records of 10-47-3 and 2-21-1.

Shields is an exciting fighter to watch, but Rankin is an opponent with little to no shot of winning. Shields should win easily on Saturday.

Jarrell Miller (22-0-1) vs. Bogdan Dinu (18-0); WBA “World” Heavyweight Title

Jarrell Miller is a very large heavyweight boxer who had a prior successful career as a kickboxer. He’s thirty years old, two years younger than his opponent, but will be giving up about one inch in height to Dinu. But Miller will undoubtedly be heavier than Dinu.

Photo Credit:DAZN USA Twitter Account

When he fought Gerald Washington he weighed in at 298 pounds.

Miller is known for his knockout power. He has stopped nineteen of his opponents, and only one of his past ten opponents made it to the final bell. However, Dinu also has considerable power. He has stopped fourteen of his opponents and is currently riding an eight fight win by stoppage streak.

Miller had some success in the United States as an amateur. He was a NY Golden Gloves Finalist. Dinu had some success on the European Amateur Circuit as a child, but neither boxer was highly successful on the international stage.

Miller has fought twice in 2018 and twice in 2017. Dinu has yet to fight in 2018 and had two fights in 2017 and two fights in 2016. Inactivity may be an issue for Dinu.

Dinu has fought exclusively in Romania and Canada and has not faced the level of competition that Miller has faced. His best wins to date were over Marino Goles and Kertson Manswell.

Miller has never tasted defeated and has beaten the likes of Tomasz Adamek, Johan Duhaupas, Mariusz Wach, Gerald Washington, and Fred Kassi.

This is a fight that Miller should win, but Dinu has the power to test Miller’s chin and the height to match Miller. A win for Miller could lead to a future showdown with fellow DAZN fighter, Anthony Joshua.

Posted on 11/16/2018

By: Sean Crose

“Jarrell is a good talker,” says undefeated heavyweight Bogdan Dinu of his opponent this weekend, the one and only Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller, “but I don’t care, I catch guys like him every morning.” Although widely unknown in America, Dinu, who is a Romanian policeman, aims to make his presence felt when he battles rising star Miller at the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas on Saturday. “The talking stops on Saturday night,” he adds. “It’s so exciting for me to fight in America, it’s a great opportunity. My team have given me an amazing chance and its’ up to me to take it.”

Dinu, whose record stands at 18-0 with 14 knockouts, isn’t just a tomato can meant to keep Miller busy. He’s got experience with some big names. In fact, he’s been a sparring partner for heavyweight kingpin Anthony Joshua. “I’ve sparred many excellent fighters like Anthony Joshua,” says Dinu. “That’s great experience, he’s a great champion and a real gentleman. He deserves his place as the best in the world.” Dinu may not have big names on his resume, but he certainly has put in some time with top level competitors.

“It was a great test for me to see where I am,” he says of the Joshua experience, “and being with AJ motivated me, taught me a lot and it was valuable. We did a lot of rounds before Wladimir Klitschko and the Carlos Takam fights.”

Miller, who boasts of a record of 22-0-1, with 19 knockouts, is one of the top names in the heavyweight division, a rising star with confidence, swagger, and ambition to burn. Miller makes no secret of the fact that he wants to face Joshua. Up until this point, however, the Brooklyn native hasn’t taken a single opponent lightly. Dinu knows the world is his, should he pull off the upset this weekend.

As promoter Matchroom Boxing states: “Dinu and Miller’s clash will open the doors to some of the biggest names in the division in 2019, and ‘Big Baby’ Miller has been typically outspoken in calling to face a big-name British fighter should he emerge with the win in Kansas.” Miller also “told Dinu…that he will KO him in spectacular style.” Dinu, who Matchroom states “is a special services police officer” in his homeland, has clearly heard such talk before. Miller, however, has always been able to back his talk up. Not that it bothers Dinu leading up to Saturday.

Posted on 11/13/2018

By: Sean Crose

“I have to beat a Brit,” says undefeated heavyweight Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller, “if I do that, a lot will change.” Miller, who will be facing Bogdan Dinu on November 17th in Kansas, is looking to land a match against heavyweight kingpin Anthony Joshua, who is now a huge star in England.” When you are high risk, low reward,” says Miller, “people will make excuses not to fight you and the fans will buy into it.” Joshua, who can sell out stadiums in Britain, has a line of potential opponents hungry to face him, among them American standout Deontay Wilder.

As Matchroom Boxing, which is affiliated with Miller, states: “Anthony Joshua returns to Wembley Stadium in London on April 13 to put his IBF, WBA and WBO straps on the line.” Miller would love the chance to face Joshua, of course, but understands that fight may not happen – at least not on that date. And so Miller is not afraid to set his sights on other foes. “I am not afraid of Dillian,” Miller says of another potential Joshua oppoenent, Dilian Whyte. “I’m afraid of no man. If AJ is not ready to face me with a title, then I’ll go and whoop Dillian’s butt. It’ll help my profile in Britain.”

“He’s a clown,” Miller says of Whyte, who has already lost to Joshua once before. “Nobody is afraid of him. He’s got a win over Lucas Browne and that’s it. For him to call people punks, he’s deluded, I’ve fought three World title contenders back to back. He turned down Mariusz Wach twice and he didn’t really want to fight Duhaupas, he’s naive.” Miller is clearly a student of the fight game. ““The big fights take some maneuvering and finessing,” he says, “so building my profile, winning the regular title and getting into a mandatory spot is going to help me in that situation.”

“I think I will definitely be in a spot to have an AJ or Deontay Wilder fight later in the year,” he says, “so I need to get this win in Kansas and stay busy, focused, injury free and ready.” Miller knows it would be unwise to overlook Dinu, an 18-0 Romanian, with 14 knockouts on his resume. “Bogdan is aggressive,” the 20-0-1 Brooklyn natives says, “but that’s against guys that want to survive…he’s going to try to move against me, everybody does, but then they all end up running for their lives – and they can only run for so long.”

Miller, who has won all but two of his bouts by knockout, will be one of the highlights of Saturday’s card at the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas. Claressa Shields will also be fighting, as will Brandon Rios. DAZN will be airing the festivities live starting at 10 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Posted on 08/04/2018

By: Sean Crose

Sam’s Town in Las Vegas and Bounce TV hosted a PBC card on Friday evening which featured Ladarius Miller going up against Dennis Galarza in a lightweight affair. First, though, Kevin Watts, 12-2, faced off against Juan Heraldez, 13-0, in a scheduled 10 round welterweight battle. Heraldez, known as a fighter to keep an eye one, dropped his man in the very first round. Watts got up, but Heraldez was able to continue dominating throughout the first half of the fight.

Photo Credit: Mayweather Promotions Twitter Account

The man’s effective jab and solid punches were telling the tale. Watts himself began to have some success in the eighth, but it was too little, too late. Heraldez ended up taking a well deserved Unanimous Decision win.

The next match featured the 22-7 Oscar Bravo and the 31-1 Sharif Bogere in a ten round lightweight match. Bogere’s more accurate and sharper punches told the tale in the first half of the match. He carried that success into the second half of the fight, as well. As the PBC broadcast team stated, Boegere’s jabs to the body were proving successful. Bravo came forward gamely, and actually looked rather effective in spots. Bogere, however, ended up looking like the more advanced fighter. It was no easy win, but Bogere’s Unanimous Decision victory was clearly well deserved.

It was time for the main event. Miller, 16-1, entered the ring riding a seven fight win streak and with the support of Floyd Mayweather’s Money Team. The 16-3 Galarza, on the other hand, was undoubtedly eager to move on from an April loss to Edner Cherry. The first round of the scheduled 10 rounder was simply a feeling out affair. The second round was nearly as cautious in nature as the first. The third round saw Miller firing and largely missing while Galarza hardly threw any punches at all. Gatti-Ward this was not. Round four consisted of both men feinting, firing once or twice every second or so, and tying each other up. Heading into the midway point of the fight, neither man had landed close to anything telling.

Things picked up in the middle rounds, with Galarza appearing more eager to pick up the pace. By the seventh, it was Galarza who was asserting himself by applying pressure on the smaller Miller. The final rounds saw a still cautious, but considerably more effective, Galarza getting the better of his man. Miller was able to contain Galarza to some degree with his jab, but he was never able to assert himself or mount anything impressive. Surprisingly, Miller walked out of the ring with a UD win.

As a walkout bout, the undefeated 4-0 Rolando Romero engaged in a scheduled six round lightweight affair with the 4-4 Javier Martinez. A stand up and fight boxer, Romero attempted to dominate his foe, but Martinez was more than willing to engage. Romero was still able to walk away with a UD win.

Posted on 08/02/2018

By: William Holmes

Floyd Mayweather’s TMT Promotions will televise a card on Bounce TV live from Sam’s Town in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The main event of the evening will be between Ladarius Miller and Dennis Galarza in the lightweight division, and the co-main event of the evening will be between Juan Heraldez and Kevin Watts in the junior welterweight division.

The undercard will feature several solid contenders and up and coming boxers, including Sharif Bogere, Omar Douglas, Kevin Newman, and others.

Photo Credit: Mayweather Promotions

The following is a preview of the two main fights of the night.

Juan Heraldez (13-0) vs. Kevin Watts (12-2); Junior Welterweights

Both Heraldez and Watts are in the middle of their athletic prime and have under fifteen fights under their belts. Watts is twenty six years old and Heraldez is twenty nine years old. Watts is a little tall for the junior welterweight division, he stands at 5’10” with a 70 ½” reach.

Watts’ activity has been ok. He’s fought once in 2018, once in 2017, and twice in 2016. Heraldez hasn’t fought yet in 2018, but fought twice in 2017 and twice in 2016.

Neither boxer has a notable amateur career to write of.

Watts has gone 1-2 in his past three fights. He has losses on his resume to Jose Miguel Borrego and Eddie Ramirez. He had an impressive win over Ryan Karl in his last match, and also has defeated the likes of Michael Chuedcki, and Manuel Damairias Lopez.

Heraldez has already defeated on opponent that Watts has lost to, and that’s Jose Miguel Borrego. He has also defeated the likes of Alfonso Alvera, Reyes Sanchez, and Adam Mate.

Watts length and reach could be an issue for Heraldez, but Watts’ two losses were by stoppage and they came recently. Heraldez has a decent amount of power with eight stoppage wins, so it seems like he should be the favorite going into their bout on Friday night.

Ladarius Miller (16-1) vs. Dennis Galarza (16-3); Lightweights

The main event is between two contenders that are twenty five years old and are gunning for title shots in the near future.

Miller’s is one of Floyd Mayweather’s better fighters in his stable. He’s been fairly active and fought twice already in 2018, twice in 2017, and four times in 2016. He’s been on a solid seven fight win streak and is looking to make it eight in a row against Galarza.

Galarza has also been fairly active. He fought once already in 2018 and three times in 2017. However, he’s gone 3-2 in his last five fights and struggles against good competition.

Neither boxer has a notable amateur career. Miller will be giving up about one inch in height to Galarza but will have a two inch reach advantage.

Miller’s lone loss was to Rolando Chinea early on in his career. He has beaten the likes of Carlos Padilla, Jesus Gutierrez, and most impressively he beat Jamel Herring.

Galarza has losses to Edner Cherry, Cesar Alan Valenzuela, and Vincent Jennings His notable victories include Omar Tienda, Jonathan Perez, and Bernado Gomez.

Mayweather seems high on Miller, perhaps because Miller reminds him of himself. Miller only have five stoppage wins on his resume, but he’s known as an excellent defensive fighter.

Galarza has some power, as he has stopped nine of his opponents, but on paper it looks like he’ll need a knockout to win against Miller, because Miller is the better technical fighter.

Posted on 08/01/2018

By: Bryant Romero

Rising lightweight prospect Ladaruis ‘Memphis’ Miller returns to the ring this Friday at the Sam’s Town Hotel in Las Vegas where takes on Dennis Galarza in a ten round bout. Miller is riding off a seven fight win streak after his only blemish back in February of 2016. Boxinginsider recently caught up with the young fighter from Memphis as looks to get closer to title contention with an impressive win over Dennis Galarza this Friday. Miller also talks about his desire to become a world champion, how boxing came into his life, and how his lone defeat actually made him a better fighter.

“Boxing got into my life after my dad,” Miller said. “He took me to the gym when I was 10. It started with my dad. We were always playing sports at a young age me and my brothers.

Photo Credit: Mayweather Promotions

“It was the way we were brought up in a tough city, in a tough neighborhood and my dad just wanted an activity for us to do to try to keep us out the streets.

“One day were watching an espn classic boxing fight and my pops decided to look for a gym for my older brother and I wanted to tag along. It started there and we went to the gym and I haven’t looked back since,” Miller said.

From there Miller complied a solid amateur record of (87-17) and eventually turning pro in 2014. Miller is now (16-1) with 5 KOs as he looks to extend his winning streak to 8 consecutive victories this Friday. The 25-year-old is a southpaw who considers himself to be a pure boxer but doesn’t shy away from a fight if necessary.

“Growing up I always watched the guys like Floyd Mayweather, Pernell Whitaker, James Toney, Roy Jones, Hector Camacho, Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns, and Sugar Ray Leonard,” Miller told me.

“I’m just a pure boxer. I definitely believe in being first and hitting and not getting hit, but if I have to, I can definitely get into a fight sometime, but overall I consider myself to be a boxer.”

Now 4 years into his professional career, Miller feels the Dennis Galarza fight is coming at the perfect time. He’s happy with how his career has progressed thus far and is well aware that an impressive win this Friday will present bigger opportunities in the near future.

“I’m on pace to do exactly what I want to do. I’m living in the moment and trying to take advantage of every opportunity in my career,” Miller said.

Miller is now currently signed to Mayweather Promotions and has been with them since the beginning of his career. He first crossed paths with Floyd Mayweather while still a young amateur. It was in the doghouse that Miller got the attention of Floyd by being able to hold his own with a number of professional fighters.

“He (Floyd) liked my attitude and my personality and the way I fought. He got me an opportunity; he saw something in me to give me an opportunity to turn professional. It all started in the gym by making a name for myself and being a young amateur that could hold my own with a lot of professional fighters,” Miller told me.

Miller also talked about his lone defeat which occurred over two years ago against Rolando Chinea. The 25-year-old insist that he wasn’t at his very best that night, but that the loss only made him a hungrier and better fighter.

“I beat myself. That guy wasn’t better than me, but it was situation where I thought I had everything under control. That was a humbling situation for me. I always say that I loss that fight on the record, but it motivated me and it put me in a different mindset.

“I don’t overlook anybody now. I take every fight like it’s a title fight now. It was just a situation where I was a young fighter who overlooked his opponent. I didn’t show up that fight, I wasn’t focused,” Miller told me.

Miller expects a great fight with Galarza in a high stakes bout. He doesn’t even want to think about what’s next and what potential big fight is out there for him. He’s completely focused on the task at hand as he knows a win this Friday will only get him closer to getting a world title shot.

“He’s (Dennis Galarza) the most important thing in my career right now, it’s this fight on August 3,” Miller said. “At the end of the day I know what can happen for me once I beat him, but at the same time I got to remain focus.

“I know what a win could lead to and I know what a loss could lead to. It’s going to be an exciting fight and I know he’s coming to fight. It’s once step closer to my goal in becoming a world champion. Once I beat this guy, I’m a step closer to getting a title shot. My main focus is on the fight,” he said.

Posted on 07/11/2018

Rising contender Ladarius Miller (16-1, 5 KOs) will face Dennis Galarza (16-3, 9 KOs) a 10-round lightweight match that headlines Premier Boxing Champions on Bounce Friday, August 3 from Sam’s Town in Las Vegas.

The telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features a 10-round welterweight showdown between Cesar Barrionuevo (34-3-2, 24 KOs) and Abel Ramos (19-3-2, 14 KOs) plus unbeaten junior welterweight Juan Heraldez taking on Kevin Watts (11-2, 4 KOs) in a bout scheduled for 10 rounds.

Tickets for the event, which is being promoted by Mayweather Promotions, begin at $25, are on sale now and will be available at www.samstownlv.com/entertain.

“We have a stacked card prepared August 3 for fans in Las Vegas and watching on Bounce,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “Ladarius Miller has stepped his fight game up and is making tremendous strides with his career. He’s putting in the work and I’m sure he’ll be ready to take on Dennis Galarza and come out victorious on fight night. The bouts leading up to the main event will prove to be crowd pleasers as well, bringing the fans an overall great night of boxing.”

The 24-year-old Miller has been on a tear since a loss in February 2016, showing off increased power plus the speed that defined him since turning pro in 2014. Miller has won seven fights in a row, including a victory over Jamel Herring and previously unbeaten Maynard Allison. Born in Memphis but living and training out of Las Vegas as a pro, Miller has already scored two stoppage victories this year in his adopted hometown.

“I feel great right now and happy to get back in the ring,” said Miller. “I have a great team behind me and they’re giving me motivation to fight and train even harder than ever. Galarza is another step up for me and someone who I’m very aware of. I have to be patient in this next fight. If I see an opportunity for a knockout then I’ll go for it, but it’s not the plan. I have the skillset. All I can do is go out there, download his plan, and react. My goal is always to give the fans an exciting show while I’m out there.”

Galarza, an outstanding amateur boxer, stepped up in competition and dropped a narrow decision to veteran contender Edner Cherry in April. The 25-year-old Galarza, who’s from Brooklyn but trains in Orlando, had won three straight fights heading into that bout and will look to get back in the win column in the same building where he won a 10-round decision against Omar Tienda last June.

“I don’t back down from anybody and Ladarius Miller is no exception,” said Galarza. “I walked out of my last fight against Edner Cherry knowing that I won the fight, even though I didn’t get the decision. I won the respect of the fans and now I’m back with another chance to prove myself. I know Miller very well and I know a win here can put me into the upper echelon of the division. This is a coming out fight for both of us and I’m looking to win impressively.”

The 29-year-old Barrionuevo fights out of Salta, Argentina and has been the Argentine welterweight champion since 2015. He enters this fight the winner of his last 10 contests, including a first round destruction of Adrian Luciano Veron in January. Barrionuevo will be making his U.S. debut when he enters the ring in Las Vegas on August 3.

Fighting out of Casa Grande, Arizona, Ramos made his welterweight debut by stopping Emmanuel Robles last July before challenging once-beaten Jamal James in April and losing by a narrow majority decision. The 27-year-old has bounced back with two stoppage victories in 2018 and has draws against world champion Maurice Hooker and contender Levan Ghvamichava on his resume.

Heraldez is unbeaten since turning pro in 2009 and picked up the biggest victory of his career thus far when he triumphed over previously undefeated Jose Miguel Borrego last August on the Mayweather vs. McGregor undercard. Fighting out of Las Vegas, the 27-year-old will make his 2018 debut August 3 looking to further his contender credentials.

The Los Angeles-native Watts put his career back on the right path with a knockout victory over then once-beaten Ryan Karl in April and hopes to build on that with another notable victory August 3. The 26-year-old won his first 11 pro fights before suffering defeats to then unbeaten fighters Eddie Ramirez and Jose Miguel Borrego.

Posted on 05/16/2018

By: Sean Crose

“As of now, it’s all talk,” Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller tells me. Miller is discussing rumors that have been circulating, rumors which claim he will soon step in between the ropes to face heavyweight kingpin Anthony Joshua, in what will perhaps be Joshua’s first fight in the United States. Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, was connected to Miller for a time, which led to the assertion that a Joshua fight would happen. “Eddie Hearn is a great talker,” Miller continues. “You guys in the media suck it up.” Miller intends to keep moving along with his career. So long as he keeps winning, it will be hard for the biggest names to deny him a shot at some point. “I’m not going to sit around and twiddle my thumbs,” he says.

Photo Credit: Jarrell Miller’s Twitter Account

Boxing can be a frustrating game, of course, but Miller has things to be happy about. For starters, he’s one of the more popular heavyweights in a division that’s become red hot after a long dormant stage. He did, after all, just beat France’s Johann Duhaupas via unanimous decision. “I was always trying to press for a knockout,” he says. “I’m a big guy, but I’ve got fluidity.” And for those who questioned whether he would really enter the ring weighing three hundred pounds? “This time I really was three hundred,” he tells me. And those who feel Miller can’t beat men like Joshua or fellow American Deontay Wilder? The guy couldn’t care less.

Miller is a man whose clearly comfortable with who he is. Formerly the highest paid kickboxer in America (kickboxing still remains close to his heart) the rising boxer realizes he’s “a high risk, low reward fighter.” Still, Miller makes one thing clear: “I know what my goals are.” And those goals have everything to do with making it to the top of the heavyweight heap. Cable giant Home Box Office is happy to be in the Miller business, having aired his last several fights live. “Everything seems good,” he says. “They just treated me with more respect.”

Treating people right is important for the 21-0-1 Brooklyn native. He’s known to work with children, after all, and was taking his seven year old son to the movies while we spoke. Miller is also known for supporting and befriending cancer patient Lily Weaver. Such relationships make for good press, but the friendship is legitimate in this case. “She inspires me,” he states, explaining that when he isn’t feeling as ambitious as he’d like, thinking of Hannah acts as motivation. “If we’re not here on this earth for each other,” he adds, “then what are we here for?”

“Fighter’s get a bad rap,” he says. “We’re just guys trying to make a living.”

Posted on 05/10/2018

Sugar Ray Leonard, the iconic fighter of the 70s through the 90s, suffered his first defeat at the gloved hands of another iconic fighter, Roberto Duran, up in Montreal, Canada back in 1980. It was a tough loss for Leonard, who had been tricked by Duran into engaging in a slugging contest. Leonard learned from his mistakes, however. After coming back to beat Duran less than six months later, the legendary American boxer went on to several more decades of success. As Leonard himself once claimed, he wouldn’t have become the fighter be became had he not lost to Duran all those years earlier up in Montreal. It’s was the kind of lesson Ledarius “Memphis” Miller has learned from, as well.

“It takes you to a different mindset,” the Floyd Mayweather protege tells me of his lone loss, a UD defeat to Rolando Chinea back in 2016. “You realize the world doesn’t revolve around you.” Mayweather may famously boast a perfect record, but he and his company, Mayweather Promotions, weren’t willing to let a promising fighter go by the wayside because of a single defeat. “They still supported me,” Miller says of his team. “You learn a lot from the people who pull back from you and the people who pull close to you.”

Photo Credit: Chris Farina/Mayweather Promotions

It’s easy for people to pull close to Miller at the moment. The lightweight has earned six impressive wins since that defeat, most of them via stoppage. And now he’s set to face the 10-7-2 Jose Marrufo this Friday evening in Las Vegas on the undercard of the Tony Harrison-Ishe Smith bout, which will be aired live on Bounce TV. “He’s a pretty tough veteran,” Miller, now 15-1, says of his opponent. “Camp’s been great. I probably had a good 8-9 weeks.” Miller claims he “had a chance to get some great sparring” in with the likes of Ashley Theophane.

“May 11th,” he says, “I’m just going to shine.”

A product of Memphis, Tennessee, Miller eventually decided to head west to Vegas in order to pursue his dream. “I had an uncle who was already out here,” he says, “and he was a fan of boxing.” Miller had a solid amateur pedigree, but knew he had to make a change. “I was just training and I wasn’t fighting,” he says of the amateur experience, where so much can depend on funding. “I ended up getting out to Vegas and the rest was history.” Yet, unlike many ambitious fighters, Miller ended up becoming a member of Team Mayweather.

“He’s been handling my career,” Miller says of Floyd Mayweather. “I see him frequently. Sometimes he stops by the gym.” Unlike some fighters on the rise, Miller has nothing bad to say of the promotional company behind him. “I’m happy with Mayweather Promotions,” he says. “They’re one of the best promotions out there…they’re always behind me, supporting me through good and bad.” To be sure, Miller is happy with his development in the pro ranks.

“I had a pretty decent amateur background,” says Miller. The truth, though, is that he was meant to fight in the professional realm. “The pros were meant for me,” he states, adding that people would tell him: “You got a pro style,” back when he was younger. “You’re really going to show your stuff when you get into a 10-12 round fight,” Miller also recalls people saying. Now that he’s back on track, however, the fighter isn’t about to forget the lessons of the past.

“I learned,” he says, “that you cannot underestimate anyone in this game.” It’s a lesson far too many fighters have neglected to learn over time. “It humbles you,” he says of his lone loss. “It angers you, it motivates you.” Yet, as many a fighter has learned, a pitfall can be a wonderful teacher. “You keep saying ‘I can’t let this happen again,’” Miller ads. Which perhaps is why Miller now aims to treat each bout like it’s for a championship. Many may not know who Marrufo is, but Miller is well aware of the fact that Marrufo undoubtedly would like to change all that. “Every fight,” Miller says, “is my most important fight.” Although the lightweight clearly has plans for the future his “main plan,” at the moment, “is May 11th” in Vegas.

Although he’s yet to start a family (“My main focus is to stay in the gym”) Miller intends to use his career to help those he will one day have to support. “I want to be able to take care of myself and my family,” he says of the future. If all continues to go as planned, it will be a future of some note. Having a supportive team can lead to big things, after all.

Posted on 04/29/2018

By: William Holmes

Eddie Hearn promoted Daniel Jacobs at the Barclays Center in his hometown of Brooklyn, New York tonight on the HBO network.

Three major fight cards were shown on US Television tonight, with the HBO show being broadcast last.

Photo Credit: HBO Boxing Twitter Account

Attendance looked sparse at the beginning of the telecast as Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller (20-0-1) took in Johan Duhaupas (37-4) in a WBA Heavyweight Title Eliminator.

Miller weighed in at 304 pounds and was able to easily walk Duhaupas down in the opening rounds. He connected with two good overhand rights in the first that forced Duhaupas to cover up.
Miller continued to walk Duhaupas down in the second round and was able to land some heavy uppercuts on Duhaupas by the ropes. Miller was warned to keep his punches up when he landed a shot below the belt in the second round.

Duhaupas was able to land some short combinations in the middle of the ring in the third round but Miller took those shots well and landed several good short shots.

Miller had Duhaupas stunned in the fifth round when he momentarily switched to a southpaw stance. Miller’s controlled the pace and distance in the sixth and seventh rounds, but Duhaupas was able to show enough offense in the eighth round to maybe steal it form Miller.

Miller looked like he was slowing down a little bit in the ninth and tenth rounds but tagged Duhaupas several times in the eleventh round and looked close to knocking him down.

Duhaupas was a little hesitant to come out for the final round but did so at his corner’s urging. He was far too behind to win by decision in the final round and looked like he was trying to survive rather than trying to win as the fight came to an end.

Jarrell Miller wins by unanimous decision with scores of 119-109, 119-109, and 117-111.

The main event of the night was between Daniel Jacobs (33-2) and Maciej Sulecki (26-0) in a WBA Middleweight Eliminator.

The crowd was very vocal throughout this fight and Jacobs looked like the bigger fighter in the ring as Sulecki has spent a lot of his career fighting in the junior middleweight division.
Sulecki showed good upper body movement early on and was able to land a solid straight right hand on Jacobs when he switched to a southpaw stance in the second round.

Jacobs connected with a good hook/uppercut combination in the third round and was getting his timing down better. His shoulder roll defense was working for him and Jacobs ended the third round strong.

Jacobs landed a strong left hook at the end of the fourth round and his cross arm defense was giving Sulecki fits in the fifth round.

Sulecki however remained slick throughout and may have stolen the seventh or eighth rounds, but he wasn’t throwing combinations and seemed ok with landing one to two punches at a time while Jacobs was more likely to throw combinations.

Jacobs hand speed was more apparent in the later rounds though he was getting hit by Sulecki. Jacobs focused more on the body in the tenth and eleventh rounds.

There were a lot of swing rounds in the middle rounds, but Jacobs saved his best round for last when he connected with a combination ending right hand that sent Sulecki to the mat. Sulecki was able to beat the count and end the fight swinging, but Jacobs appeared to have done enough to win the fight.

The judges scored it 116-111, 117-110 and 115-112 for Daniel Jacobs.

Posted on 04/27/2018

By: William Holmes

On Saturday night the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York will showcase two fights to be broadcast on HBO’s World Championship Boxing Series. Daniel Jacobs, who took Gennady Golovkin the distance and is considered by many to be one of the top middleweights of the country, will take on Maciej Sulecki in a WBA Middleweight Eliminator in the main event of the evening.

The co-main event will feature another WBA Eliminator, but this time in the heavyweight division, as rising Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller will take on Johan Duhaupas.

The undercard will also feature a WBA/IBF Women’s Lightweight Title unification between Katie Taylor and Victoria Bustos which may get some mention on the HBO broadcast

The following is a preview of the two planned telelvised fights.

Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller (20-0-1) vs. Johan Duhaupas (37-4); WBA Heavyweight Eliminator

Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller is one of the top talents in the heavyweight division. He previously competed in both boxing and MMA and was very successful in it. In fact he was undefeated for three years in kickboxing before turning pro as a boxer. He was also a finalist in the NY Golden Gloves Championship as an amateur.

Miller is in the midst of his prime and approximately eight years younger than Johan Duhaupas. Both boxers have been fairly active recently. Miller fought twice in 2017 and three times in 2016. Duhaupas has also been very active, which is surprising for a man his age. He fought three times in 2017 and three times in 2016.

Miller usually towers over his opponents, but he will be giving up one inch in height and about four and half inches in reach to Duhaupas. Both boxers have experienced recent success. Nine of the last ten opponents that Miller has fought were defeated by stoppage. Four of the past five fights that Duhaupas has fought resulted in a stoppage victory.

Miller has defeated the likes of Mariusz Wach, Gerald Washington, Fred Kassi, Donovan Dennis, and Joey Dawejko. Miller has never been defeated.

Duhaupas has defeated the likes of Jarno Rosberg, Robert Helenius, and Manuel Charr. His losses were to Alexander Povetkin, Deontay Wilder, Erkan Teper, Francesci Ouabeti.

When you compare Miller’s age, strength, and willingness to test himself against good competition in both boxing and MMA to Duhaupas; it becomes clear that Miller should be the heavy favorite in this fight. He could prove a tough challenge for either Joshua or Wilder in the near future.

Daniel Jacobs (33-2) vs. Maciej Sulecki (26-0); WBA Middleweight Eliminator

When Canelo tested positive for clenbuterol, even though he claimed tainted meat as the culprit, many boxing writers placed Daniel Jacobs as the #2 guy in the middleweight division mainly based on his extremely close match with Gennady Golovkin.

His opponent, Maciej Sulecki, is relatively unknown to the American audience but has never tasted defeat.

Jacobs has the better amateur career of the two. He won the National Golden Gloves Tournament as a middleweight and was a US National Champion as an amateur.

Sulecki will have about an inch and a half height advantage on Jacobs on Saturday night, but Jacobs will have a rather large five inch reach advantage. Jacobs will also have a large power advantage. He has stopped twenty nine of his opponents while Sulecki has only stopped ten.

Jacobs two losses were a shocking upset to Dmitry Pirog and a close defeat to current middleweight kingpin Gennady Golovkin. He has defeated the likes of Luis Arias, Sergio Mora, Peter Quillin, Caleb Truax, Jarrod Fletcher, and Ishe Smith. Sulecki has never tasted defeat and has defeated the likes of Jack Culcay, Damian Bonelli, Hugo Centeno Jr., and Grzegorz Proksa.

This fight looks like a mismatch. Jacobs is fighting an opponent who has never faced the level of opposition of him in his hometown who doesn’t have knockout power.

Posted on 04/15/2018

By: Patrick Mascoe

Boxing is a complex sport. Those of uswho love boxing love the action in the ring, and we often see the sport as a metaphor for life. Life is a struggle, a fight and for those who give up, success is never attained. Boxing has a history of wasted talent, crushed dreams and fighters who self-destruct. However, it also has a history of salvation and redemption. The life of veteran Brooklyn trainer Harry Keitt is such a story. Once a promising fighter, and a man who had sparred with the likes of Light Heavyweight Champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi and the great Muhammad Ali, Keitt soon found his life spiralling out of control.

Harry Keitt began using drugs and, at his lowest point, shot his own cousin. After serving his time in prison, he rededicated his life to helping the young people of his community. He wanted to make sure that they did not make some of the same mistakes that have haunted him. He has spent close to 30 years making up for that one error in judgement. In that time, he has become a man who has taken on the job of trainer, mentor and surrogate father to many in his Brooklyn neighbourhood. He has become a respected individual due to his strength of character, his wisdom, and more importantly, he now possesses self-worth and dignity.

How long have you actively been involved in the sport of boxing?

“I myself boxed for ten years from 1976 to 1986. In 1989, I became a trainer and have been involved in training fighters ever since.”

In that time, what major changes have you seen in sport with regards to match-making and training?

“Back in the day, if a champion lost a fight he would get an immediate rematch. He would be ranked as the number one contender. Now, if you lose, you may not even find yourself in the top ten. Boxing trainers are being replaced by strength and conditioning coaches. I get that everybody is trying to make a living, but everything is really upside down. These guys don’t really know boxing. Lots of guys today are using drugs to get stronger or faster. People are looking for an easy way to succeed.”

You have literally trained hundreds of fighters in your time. Do you have any favorites?

“I trained a young boy named Mark Anene. He came into the gym when he was ten years old weighing 170 lbs. When I asked him why he was crying all the time, he told me he was being picked on and laughed at. I told him that if you stick with boxing, the bullying would stop. That boy’s weight dropped to 156 lbs. and he became a Jr. National Champion, a Golden Gloves Champion, and a Jr. World Champion. Through boxing, he was able to achieve everything he wanted. He also became like a son to me. His goal was never to fight pro but rather to graduate high school and get a college degree. I attended his graduation and we are still in touch to this day. I also trained, well known contender, John Duddy (29-2), who may not have been the most skilled of fighters, but was so hard working and determined; he could have been a world champion. He is now a successful actor and doing very well. When training an amateur like Mark, or a professional like John, it was never about the money. It was always about training them right.”

Which fighters today impress you and have your attention?

“To be honest, fighters today aren’t the same. Most are looking for short cuts. The fighters of today lack hunger and don’t have a strong work ethic. Guys come in and they want to copy Floyd Mayweather’s style or Sugar Ray Leonard’s style. They don’t understand that you need to learn the basics and then find your own style. Guys like Mayweather and Leonard are gifted fighters. You have to develop your own style and that comes through training, not by copying another guy. I do like Deontay Wilder because I know that he is being trained the right way. His trainer, Mark Breland, is teaching him to have strong fundamentals and has instilled in him a strong work ethic. Breland, himself, was a great fighter and understands there are no short cuts to success. People keep predicting that Deontay is going to lose yet, he just keeps winning.”

In the eyes of many of the young men and women you train, you are seen as a surrogate father, a mentor, an advisor, and a teacher. What is the most important lesson to try to impart on these young people?

“I want them to learn to carry themselves with confidence. Kids need to develop self-confidence in order to succeed in life. The minute you think you can’t do something, then you have failed already.”

Knowing that not every person you train will turn professional or make a living as a boxer, how to you define your success as a trainer?

“I would love to see one of my fighters win a world title. That’s how I would define my personal success. But I think people need to be champions to themselves. As I said before, I trained Mark Anene and he was very successful. He graduated high school and college. He accomplished his dream. Knowing what his goal was, I often checked his report cards to make sure he stayed on track. Boxing was a path that he used to succeed. I want people to learn to believe in themselves.”

You are presently training undefeated heavyweight Jarrell Miller. He is currently ranked 9th in the world by Ring magazine. What is it like to work with Jarrell and how far do you think he can go?

“Jarrell can go as far as he wants. He can be a world champion. At times we have our ups and downs. As a trainer, I always want my fighters to train harder. I am old school. Young guys see me and they laugh because I don’t know much about Facebook or Twitter, but I know boxing. In the gym, I tell them I know what you know, but you don’t know what I know. Young guys get on the treadmill and run, but to me the treadmill is doing all the work. It is not the same. Go out and do your own roadwork. Guys need to work harder.”

Your personal story is one of redemption. Are you happy today with the path your life has taken?

“I feel great about myself. For a while, I was headed in the wrong direction and I was doing all the wrong things. When I came out of prison, I told myself that I would never go back. I needed to start doing the right thing. My life has been good. I was involved in a documentary movie in 1999, called On the Ropes, and it was nominated for an Oscar. I got the chance to attend the Academy Awards. My life has definitely gone in the other direction, a better direction.”

Harry Keitt presently works out of Mendez gym at 23 E. 26th Street in Manhattan, New York and trains undefeated heavyweight prospect Jarrell Miller. Miller’s next fight will be on April 28th at the Barclays Center on the under card of the Daniel Jacobs – Maceiej Sulecki fight. Harry Keitt readily acknowledges that he is an old school trainer. To him, that means teaching fighters to develop strong work ethics in order to become fundamentally sound. In a day and age when we sometimes see old as being passé, Harry Keitt is anything but. Honest, caring and knowledgeable trainers should be the norm, not the exception. He continues to preach to his young disciples – you need to be a champion to yourself. Although he may still possess some regrets about his earlier life, Harry Keitt has worked selflessly with the young people of Brooklyn and in return, he himself has become a champion.

Posted on 11/12/2017

By: William Holmes

Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Sports put on their first HBO card featuring their newest signee, middleweight Daniel Jacobs, at the NYCB Live, Home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.

Three bouts were televised tonight. The opening bout was between Cletus “The Hebrew Hammer” Seldin and Roberto Ortiz in the junior welterweight division, the second bout was between Jerell Miller and Mariusz Wach in the heavyweight division, and the main event was between Daniel Jacobs and Luis Arias in the middleweight division.

Photo Credit: HBO Boxing Twitter

The first bout of the night was between Cletus Seldin (25-0) and Roberto Ortiz (35-1-2) in the junior welterweight division.

Cletus Seldin wasted no time and took the pressure right to Roberto Ortiz and knocked him down with a big overhand right in the first twenty seconds of the opening round. Ortiz was able to get back up and had to withstand an aggressive assault by Seldin. Seldin as able to land two good uppercuts that forced Ortiz to take a knee, who complained about getting hit behind the head.

Seldin continued his pressure into the second round and opened up a bad cut over the left eye of Ortiz from a hard right hook. The ringside doctor took a look at the eye of Ortiz but allowed the fight to continue.

By the third round blood was pouring out of the cut above Ortiz’s eye, and Seldin was loading up with his right hands and was looking for a stoppage. An elbow to the nose by Seldin forced Ortiz to take a knee, but his cut above his eye was bleeding badly.

The ringside doctor took another look at the cut over Ortiz’s eye and told the referee the fight should be stopped.

Cletus Seldin wins by TKO at 2:43 of the third round.

The next bout of the night was between Jarrell Miller (19-0) and Mariusz Wach (33-2) in the heavyweight division.

Wach was active with his jab in the first round and was able to use his height advantage to keep Miller at bay. Miller was able to land a few jabs of his own, but Wach was more accurate with it in the opening round.

Miller was landing more punches in the second round, including some good short right uppercuts. Miller’s hand speed controlled in the third and fourth rounds and he was showing a good variety of punches and combination.

Wach was able to have some success with his straight right hand in the opening four rounds, but stopped throwing it midway through the fifth after lading a good straight right hand.

Wach complained to his corner that he hurt his right hand before the start of the sixth and basically stopped throwing it during that round. Miller was greatly outlanding Wach by this point and even had Wach momentarily stunned in the middle of the seventh round.

Wach’s corner could have stopped the fight before the start of the eighth round, but they allowed Wach to continue fighting while only using one hand. Wach’s right hand hurt so bad that he showed visible signs of pain even when he blocked a punch by Miller.

Wach came out for the start of the ninth round but he was still not using his right hand. The referee jumped up to the ring canvas and told the referee to stop the fight.

Miller wins by TKO at 1:02 of the ninth round.

Daniel Jacobs (32-2) and Luis Arias (18-0) met in the middleweight division in the main event of the night.

Jacobs was the taller fighter and had the obvious power advantage going into this fight. His power was evident in the opening round when he landed a hard right cross that forced Arias to try to tackle Jacobs to keep from taking more punishment. Jacobs landed a good lead left hook at the end of the first.

Arias was warned to keep his punches up in the second round but he continued to focus to the body. Jacobs ended the second round with a good combination.

Jacobs walked Arias down in the third and fourth round and was able to land some good right uppercuts. Arias had a good right hand in the fifth round, but that was his only effective offense displayed in the first half of the fight.

Jacobs looked extremely confident in the seventh and eighth round as his accuracy gradually increased. Arias was fighting while moving backwards in the ninth round and Jacobs did not look worried about Arias’ power at all.

Arias needed a knockout or at least a flurry of knockdowns in the championship rounds in order to win the fight, but that never came. Jacobs just continued to apply pressure and land hard shots to the body and head and was able to score a knockdown in the eleventh round, even though it was a clipping hook that landed behind the head.

The judges scored it 118-109, 120-107, and 119-108 for Daniel Jacobs.

Posted on 11/10/2017

By: William Holmes

On Saturday night Eddie Hearn’s latest acquisition, Daniel Jacobs, will be on display on HBO. He will be facing Luis Arias in the main event of the evening. Two other bouts are also planned to be broadcast, a heavyweight fight between Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller and Mariusz Wach in the heavyweight division and a junior welterweight bout between Cletus Seldin and Roberto Ortiz.

The NYCB Live, Home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York will be the host site for Saturday’s boxing card.

Photo Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing

The following is a preview of Saturday’s HBO card.

Cletus Seldin (25-0) vs. Roberto Ortiz (35-1-2); Junior Welterweights

The opening bout of the night will be between Cletus “The Hebrew Hammer” Seldin and Roberto Ortiz in the junior welterweight division.

Seldin is a local fighter with a large, supportive fan base. He’s fought in New York for most of his career with a large majority of his fights taking place at the Paramount Theatre. He’s undefeated, but he is currently thirty one years old and his window of opportunity for a legitimate world title fight is getting smaller.

His opponent Roberto Ortiz is the same age and has fought mainly in Mexico. He fought one time in the United States and was stopped by Lucas Matthysse. Ortiz will have a slight two and a half inch height and reach advantage.

Neither Seldin or Ortiz has a notable amateur background in boxing. However, Seldin does have experience in wrestling and judo. He also was a finalist in the New York Golden Gloves tournament.

Both boxers have decent power. Seldin has sixteen stoppage wins on his resume while Ortiz has twenty six. Seldin has never tasted defeated while Ortiz was stopped in his one fight against a big name opponent.

Neither boxer has any big name victories. Seldin’s best wins were against Jesus Selig, Johnny Garcia, and Bayan Jargal. Ortiz’s best wins were against Reyes Sanchez and John Aparicio.

This is an excellent test for Seldin and it will be the toughest of his career. Ortiz has a good record, but lost the only fight in which he faced a good opponent. Seldin should be able to win a close victory, but we’ll definitely have a better idea if he’s a legitimate contender on Saturday night.

Jarrell Miller (19-0) vs. Mariusz Wach (33-2); Heavyweights

Jarrell Miller is an intriguing heavyweight prospect in that he has experienced some surprising success in another combat sport, that being kickboxing.

He was able to defeat UFC veteran Pat Barry in a kickboxing match and went 19-0 in Muay Thai before going to kick boxing. He found some success in kickboxing’s prestige league, K1, and lost to UFC veteran Mirko Cro Cop twice by decision.

He has been very successful since switching to boxing. He’s undefeated and has seventeen stoppage wins, including eight stoppage victories in a row. He fought once in 2017 and three times in 2016.

Miller does have some amateur boxing experience. He made it to the finals of the New York Golden Gloves and lost to Tor Hammer on points. His opponent, Mariusz Wach, also had a successful amateur career and was a Polish National Champion and an Olympic alternate.

Miller will have an eight year age advantage on Wach, who is currently thirty seven years old. Wach will have a height advantage of about three and a half inches and a reach advantage of four inches.

In addition to being tested as a kickboxer, Miller also has defeated some notable heavyweights. His notable wins include Gerald Washington, Fred Kassi, and Donovan Dennis.

Wach’s biggest wins have come against Tye Fields, Kevin McBride, and Jason Gavern. His losses were to Alexander Povetkin and Wladimir Klitschko.

Wach’s age and relative inactivity is a concern. He fought only once in 2017 and once in 2016, against less than impressive opposition.

There’s been a lot of talk recently about a potential heavyweight fight between Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua, but an impressive win by Miller could result in him getting a title shot before Wilder and Joshua meet inside the ring.

Daniel Jacobs (32-2) vs. Luis Arias (18-0); Middleweights

Daniel Jacobs earned the title of “Miracle Man” after defeating a diagnosis of bone cancer in 2011. He was previously signed to Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) but has recently decided to sign with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Sport.

Jacobs had a very successful amateur career. He was a Junior Olympics National Champion, a Police Athletic League (PAL) National Champion, and a National Golden Gloves Champion. His opponent, Luis Arias, also had a very successful amateur career. He was a US National Champion at middleweight in 2008 and 2010 and was also a Gold Medal PAL winner.

Arias is twenty seven years old and three years younger than Jacobs. Jacobs will have a very sleight half an inch reach advantage over Arias.

Jacobs has a large edge in power over Arias. Jacobs has stopped twenty nine of his opponents and nine of his past ten fights were TKO victories. Arias only has nine stoppage victories, but three of his past four fights were TKO victories.

Jacobs has the better professional resume of the two boxers. He has defeated the likes of Ishe Smith, Jarrod Fletcher, Caleb Truax, Sergio Mora, and Peter Quillin. His losses were a close decision loss to Gennady Golovkin and a shocking knockout loss to Dmitry Pirog.

Arias has defeated the likes of Arif Magomedov, Scott Sigmon, and Jorge Silva.

Arias does have an edge in activity. He already fought twice in 2017 and fought three times in 2016. Jacobs has only fought once in 2016 and once in 2017.

This should actually be a tougher fight for Jacobs than most expect. Arias has the amateur background to match Jacobs and he has never tasted defeat. He’s also been in the ring more often than Jacobs and won’t have to worry about ring rust.

However, Jacobs was very impressive in his defeat to Gennady Golovkin and is filled with confidence. Arias has never felt the power of a boxer like Jacobs and has never been in the ring as a professional with someone of Jacobs’ caliber.

This is Daniel Jacobs’ fight to lose, but Arias has enough talent to make it closer than expected.

Posted on 08/20/2016

ShoBox Results: Miller and Menard Win Convincingly, Eyubov and Nieves in Close Bouts
By: William Holmes

Tonight’s edition of ShoBox The New Generation was broadcast from Rhinos Stadium in Rochester, New York and featured a heavyweight bout between prospect Jerrell Miller and Fred Kassi (18-5-1) in the main event of the evening.

Bakhtiyar Eyubov (10-0) met Karim Mayfield (19-3-1) in the opening bout of the night in the welterweight division.

Eyubov has knocked out all of his opponents and has never gone past the third round, while Mayfield has lost three of his last four fights but he has faced some top notch competition.

Eyubov comes out to try to touch gloves but Mayfield instead cracks him in the face with a straight right hand and came out firing. Eyubov was able to momentarily slow down Mayfield with a straight right counter, but Mayfield came right back out firing. Eyubov began to turn the tide of the first round in his favor after landing a hard left hand followed by a right that stunned Mayfield. Eyubov ended the opening round throwing wild punches.

Mayfield tried to crowd Eyubov in the second round and threw a high number of punches, but Eyubov was able to mix up his combinations to the body and had Mayfield’s mouth open wide by the end of the round.

Mayfield had a much better third round and at times was moving Eyubov backwards. Eyubov appeared to be losing steam as the round progressed and Mayfield looked more confident. By the fourth round Eyubov looked like he no longer had the power advantage and Mayfield was throwing and landing significantly more combinations.

Mayfield was counter punching was crisp in the opening half of the fifth round, but Eyubov was effective to the body in the later stages of the round. Eyubov did well in the sixth round by dancing and landing quick pop shots on Mayfield, but the seventh round could have gone either way as both boxers landed hard power shots.

The eighth round was similar to the previous, with Eyubov pressing forward ripping hooks to the body and Mayfield landing counter combinations. Eyubov was deducted a point in the eighth for a low blow.

The final two rounds could have been scored for either boxer, but Eyubov was the aggressor and never stopped coming in.

The bout was close and the judges scored it 95-94 Mayfield and 95-94 on the other two cards for Eyubov.

Bantamweight Antonio Nieves (16-0-1) faced Alejandro Santiago (11-2-1) in the second bout of the night.

Santiago has fought most of his career below the bantamweight limit and the size advantage for Nieves was evident from the start.

Nieves threw mainly jabs in the first round and was able to touch Santiago from the outside, but he didn’t press forward to try to use his size to his advantage. Santiago countered well in the second round and displayed some surprisingly quick hands in the third round, but Santiago was occasionally hit with a lead jab cross combination.

Santiago had a good fourth round by countering Nieves after he threw his shots, but Nieves looked like he switched tactics in the fifth by re-focusing on his jab. Nieves did have a cut open above his right eye in the fifth.

Nieves tried to trap Santiago in the sixth round but Santiago was able to move out of the way before Nieves could land any significant combinations of note, and when Nieves did land a combination Santiago would answer with his own.

By the seventh round Santiago had landed ten more punches, but neither boxer was landing hard shots that hurt their target.

Santiago made a strong case for himself in the eighth round by turning Nieves and by popping in and out with sharp combinations. Santiago also surprisingly hurt Nieves in the ninth round despite the fact he only has three stoppages to his resume.

The final round was also close and tough to score, like most of the rounds before it.

The final scores were 96-94 Nieves, 96-94 Santiago, and 95-95 for a split draw.

The next bout of the night was between Mason Menard (31-1) and Bahodir Mamadjonov (18-2) in the lightweight division.

Mamadjonov fought out of a southpaw stance and Menard fought out of an orthodox stance. Menard was the longer boxer and pressing forward, while Mamadjonov was able to land good body shots and left hooks in the first round.

Both boxers were stepping on each other’s feet in the second round, but Mamadjonov looked to be able to control the distance better and was more effective with laying traps for his opponent.

Mamadjonov was looking stronger in the middle rounds and opened up a cut over Menard’s left eye in the fourth round. Mamadjonov focused on that eye in the fifth and sixth rounds and just looked like the more experienced boxer.

Menard had a huge seventh round when he scored two knockdowns. The first one was from a double right hand on Mamadjonov by the corner that sent him down, and later with a body shot that forced Mamadjonov to touch the canvas with his gloves.

Mamadjonov may have won the eighth round and recovered nicely from the two knockdowns in the previous round, but Menard was pressing the action. Menard rocked Mamadjonov in the ninth round with a hard straight right hand and pounded on him by the ropes. Mamadjonov went out on his feet and collapsed to the floor when the referee stepped in between them. The referee immediately stopped the fight when he fell to the floor.
Mason Menard with another big knockout at 2:26 of the ninth round.

The main event was between undefeated Jarrell Miller (17-0-1) and veteran contender Fred Kassi (18-5-1) in the heavyweight division.

Kassi came in several pounds overweight than his usual fighting weight and he was tentative in the opening frame. Miller was able to block most of Kassi’s punches and kept walking forward lookingfor the perfect opportunity. Miller ended the round by digging some hooks into the body.

Miller was clearly not afraid of Kassi’s power in the third round and at times he seemed like he was willingly taking punches to his head in order to land one punch in return. He did have Kassi hurt with body shots in the second.

Miller had Kassi hurt in the third round with a right hand to the temple followed up with a barrage of digging hooks to the head and body. Kassi looked like he was close to hitting the mat, but didn’t go down.
Kassi refused to come out for the fourth round due to an injured right hand. Jarrell Miller remains undefeated with the technical knockout.