JARRELL Miller is known for his big personality and even bigger physique. But the self-styled ‘Big Baby’ looks like he might’ve shed a few pounds ahead of his crunch clash with Andy Ruiz Jr. this weekend.
The heavyweights are part of the August 3 Israil Madrimov-Terence Crawford card in Los Angeles, and Miller’s weight transformation has even shocked promoter Eddie Hearn.
A story of four parts 😜 @EddieHearn @BIGBABYMILLER #RuizMiller #CrawfordMadrimov #RiyadhSeasonCard pic.twitter.com/9pRD5CZv86
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) July 29, 2024
Eddie has now made up with Miller after previously calling for a hefty ban on the Brooklyn brawler. The initial beef started in 2019 when Jarrell failed a drug test while the New Yorker was all set to fight Anthony Joshua on AJ’s US debut.
Miller’s exit opened a surprise door for Andy Ruiz Jr., who stepped in and smashed away Joshua’s best-laid plans in seven rounds. Now, Ruiz is also back on the scene—as Miller’s opponent this Saturday.
Excessive weight gain severely hampered Andy in his immediate rematch with Joshua at the tail end of 2019 in Diriyah. However, while Miller has slimmed down significantly, Ruiz isn’t ready to change too much at all.
“Burritos and Nachos have been helping win all my fights and become champion of the world so nothing wrong about that. And that is exactly what I’m going to do on August 3. I’m going to win. I’m going to get this victory and this victory will be for God,” said the first Mexican heavyweight titlist.
“No matter how tall you are. How big you are and how much muscle you have. It’s all about what you have inside. And I have a big heart.”
April 24, 2024; New York, NY; Andy Ruiz Jr. and Jarrell Miller pose in Times Square after announcing their upcoming fight. The fight will take place on August 3, 2024 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom.
As for Miller, who was last seen getting pounded by Daniel Dubois in Riyadh, he is now a new man and ready to pass on dietary advice to anyone willing to listen.
“I feel great. I haven’t been eating like my man Andy [Ruiz] here. I put down the tacos, burritos, the burgers and hard work baby,” he said.
“I come to win. I come to knock people out. I destroy people. He may be the ‘Destroyer’ but I’m the one who destroys people. Ready to work.
“This is the opportunity to get back what I’ve lost. Me and Eddie [Hearn] have a bromance hell or behave relationship. But that’s life. You become a man. Have a conversation and sort things out and move on and move forward.”
To be fair to Miller, despite weighing in as high as 341 pounds in the past it never hindered his workrate. The last time he weighed in under 300 pounds came against Mariusz Wach in 2017. That was a tidy 283. Friday’s weigh-in will be an interesting watch, to see if the 36-year-old is back around that region.
“This fight is not personal. Andy replaced me a couple of years ago and got that big check and now I have to f**k him up. I’m going to turn his ass into burritos and nachos after this one,” boomed Miller.
