Daniel Dubois
On the 11th of June, 2022, at Casino Miami in Florida, Daniel Dubois claimed the WBA (Regular) heavyweight championship, overpowering Trevor Bryan with a knockout in round four. This bout, staged by Don King, attracted an audience of about 500.
Dubois’ initial defence of his title occurred on the 3rd of December, 2022, against Kevin Lerena. The match took place in London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as part of the undercard for the Tyson Fury vs Derek Chisora III fight. Despite being floored thrice in the opening round, Dubois made a comeback, securing victory through a third-round technical knockout.
On the 26th of August, 2023, Dubois faced Oleksandr Usyk in Wrocław, Poland, vying for Usyk’s WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight titles. The match was marred by a contentious incident in the fifth round. Dubois landed a punch that sent Usyk to the canvas, which referee Luis Pabon controversially deemed a low blow. This led to a recovery period for Usyk, who was advised by Pabon to extend his break beyond his initial readiness to continue. The fight, which resumed after Usyk’s recovery, saw Usyk maintaining his titles with a stoppage in the ninth round. Usyk’s dominance was reflected in the CompuBox statistics, outperforming Dubois in punch accuracy throughout the fight.
The ruling on the fifth-round incident sparked debate. Many believed the punch was legitimate, arguing it could have led to a knockout win for Dubois. Post-fight, Dubois expressed his frustration, feeling deprived of a rightful victory. Contrarily, Usyk’s promoter, Alex Krassyuk, defended the decision, citing the rules on low blows, a viewpoint shared by fellow boxers Tony Bellew and Liam Smith.
Jarrell Miller
Jarrell Miller’s prominence in boxing began in 2007, reaching the finals of the New York Golden Gloves tournament and competing for the New Jersey Tigers in the World Combat League. Miller’s professional boxing career started in 2009. By 2018, he was ranked as the world’s seventh-best heavyweight by BoxRec and eighth by The Ring.
Miller’s career faced a significant setback in 2019 when he tested positive for multiple banned substances, leading to the cancellation of his scheduled title fight against Anthony Joshua and a six-month ban from the WBA.
Miller still has two notable fights to his name prior to the failed drug tests against Tomasz Adamek and Bogdan Dinu.
Against Tomasz Adamek in October 2018, Miller’s performance was dominant. The fight took place in Chicago, a city with a significant Polish community, adding to the event’s appeal. Miller, weighing in at a career-heaviest 317 pounds, displayed his power and control in the ring. He overpowered Adamek, who weighed 227 pounds, knocking him down with a series of powerful shots, leading to Adamek deciding not to get back to his feet after being counted. The fight concluded with Miller’s victory in the second round.
Miller’s fight with Bogdan Dinu was scheduled for November 2018, after initial plans to fight Fres Oquendo fell through. Dinu, ranked #9 by the WBA and #13 by the IBF at heavyweight, was a competent opponent. The fight took place at the Kansas Star Arena and Casino in Mulvane, Kansas. Miller, who weighed 315+1⁄4 pounds, 78 pounds more than Dinu, predicted a victory within five rounds. He delivered on his promise, knocking Dinu down and out for the 10-count in the fourth round of their scheduled 12-round bout. The early rounds were competitive, but Miller’s power eventually overwhelmed Dinu, leading to a decisive victory for Miller.
Summary and prediction
This matchup presents a classic power vs. experience scenario. Dubois, with his youth and explosive power, might look to end the fight early. Miller’s strategy could involve using his size and experience to outlast Dubois, testing the younger fighter’s stamina and resilience. The key for Dubois will be to maintain his composure under pressure, while Miller will need to effectively manage Dubois’s power and look for opportunities to counter. It’s a fight that promises to be a compelling battle of contrasting styles and strengths.
We predict the fight to go the distance and Daniel Dubois to take a decision on points.
