Jarrell Miller Failed Drug Test won’t stop Katie Taylor v Delfine Persoon Undisputed fight
The boxing world was shook late last night when it emerged that scheduled heavyweight title challenger Jarrell Miller had failed a drug test.
The big Brooklynite was due to face WBA-IBF-WBO champion Anthony Joshua on Saturday June 1st at Madison Square Garden in New York but it has been reported that Miller tested positive for a banned substance.
While the big fight looks in doubt, the card itself will happen – which is good news for Ireland’s Katie Taylor who takes on WBC champion Delfine Persoon in an undisputed lightweight title fight in one of the chief supports.
In a statement posted soon after news of Miller’s failed test emerged, event promoter Eddie Hearn has indicated that the show will go on on June 1st regardless.
We have been informed by VADA that there has been an adverse finding in Jarrell Miller’s sample collected on March 20th, 2019. We are working with all relevant parties and will update with more details soon. AJ’s preparation continues for June 1st at MSG.
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) April 17, 2019
Miller’s promoter, Dmitry Salita, also responded to the news.
We are in the process of obtaining further information about VADA’s finding and will have more to say soon on this developing situation. In the meantime Jarrell continues to train for his June 1 fight against Anthony Joshua.
— Salita Promotions (@SalitaProm) April 17, 2019
Miller – who, like Anthony Joshua, is one-quarter Irish – will likely face a hearing with the New York State Athletic Commission and is not expected to be licenced for the fight.
Numerous replacements have already been mooted from the exciting – Luis Ortiz, Dillian Whyte – to the uninspiring – Michael Hunter, Otto Wallin – while Olympic silver medallist Joe Joyce’s manager, Sam Jones, has put his man forward.
Taylor’s fight with Persoon was officially announced yesterday, with Belgian Persoon finally having signed the contract to agree to the fight on Monday.
The Flemish fighter herself has had recent anti-doping controversy having been in front of her nation commission just last Thurday relating to an infraction back in October.
Police officer Persoon had been unable to provide a random urine test and, having to go to work, she was forced to leave the doping control agent.
This reasoning was accepted by the authoriies and Persoon was cleared to fight Taylor.
