It looks like Jarrell Miller can avoid getting banned for three failed drug tests, before the Anthony Joshua fight, due to a bizarre loophole. Eddie Hearn believes Miller may get away without a fixed punishment.
Jarrell Miller will seemingly not receive a ban after failing three drugs tests that became the reason for his fight against Anthony Joshua to be cancelled.
The heavyweight contender looks set to benefit from the loophole that will enable him to avoid a fixed punishment for the egregious offences.
Jarrell “big baby” Miller was scheduled as Anthony Joshua’s US debut opponent on June 1 in New York but he scored an unprecedented hat-trick of three failed drugs tests last week. He was tested positive for GW1516, HGH and EPO.
The New York State Athletic Commission refused to license him as a result therefore the Joshua bout was called off.
However, according to promoter Eddie Hearn, the American’s license with New York has in fact expired, meaning that they do not have the jurisdiction to punish him.
American boxing works on a state-by-state basis unlike UK where one centralized commission has the control. So this would mean a ban in one state may not be applicable in other states for Miller.
Unless it later emerges that he is licensed elsewhere, Jarrell Miller will escape without a fixed ban by virtue of this loophole.
Hearn explained:
“The situation is, he doesn’t have a license with the New York State Athletic Commission because it’s expired.
“So they can’t punish him. They can only refuse his license. So he can go to any other commission and apply for a license. I don’t think he’ll get one.”
Usually it happens if an athlete is banned by a particular commission where he is licensed with, the remaining commissions would stand by the decision. However, in case of Jarrell Miller he has the option to shop himself to other commissions until one agrees to let him box again.
There is also a possibility that sanctioning bodies (WBA, IBF and WBO) involved in the fight could ban Miller from fighting for their titles for a set period of time, though this would not prevent him from fighting full stop.
