Jarrell Miller revealed that he lost 45 lbs in training camp for his fight this Saturday night in Los Angeles against former unified heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr.
(Photo credit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing)
Miller (26-1-1. 22 KOs) had come into his last fight weighing 333 lbs against Daniel Dubois last December, but he looks considerably thinner now.
That could be bad for Ruiz (35-1, 22 KOs) because he will face a faster fighter with a high punch output. Miller, 36, has been more active than Ruiz, which could affect their fight.
Ruiz-Miler will be shown live on DAZN PPV. In the main event, Terence Crawford will challenge WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov.
Miller’s Confidence: “I’m Going to Win”
“He had the belts for a few months [in 2019]. He’s working his way back to a title shot. I’m working my way to a title shot, and I’m going to win,” Jarrell Miller told Title Sports Network about his fight against Andy Ruiz Jr. this Saturday night in Los Angeles.
Ruiz has been working his way back at a glacially slow pace since losing his three titles to Anthony Joshua in their rematch in December 2019. He’s only fought twice since and keeps taking long layoffs after each fight.
“I think Dubois is in better shape. He has better movement. He’s a harder puncher than Andy. Andy has speed on his side,” said Miller.” I got a chin, I got aggression, I got a heart, and I got punching power on my aide. When it comes to Saturday night, I’m f**** him up.”
There’s no question that Dubois is a better fighter than the 34-year-old Ruiz. Andy has been inactive for too long for him to have kept his skills sharp during the last five years, and it’s unknown what he’s got left after his two-year break after his last fight against Luis Ortiz in 2022.
“Fifth-round Andy has got to go down,” said Miller, predicting a fifth-round knockout win over Ruiz.
It would be impressive if Miller knocked out Ruiz because many boxing fans are predicting a victory for Andy on Saturday. They feel that Miller was never that good, to begin with, and his past positive tests for PEDs have taken something out of him.
“I’m prepared. I dropped 45 pounds, and I’m ready to rock and roll. I’ve got abs again, and I’m ready to kick his a**,” said Miller. “The first month, it sucks, but then you get into a regiment, and then you start to see results. You start to see your body changing,” said Jarrell Miller when asked how his weight loss has been going.
Losing all that weight could take something out of Miller in this fight. For a fighter to drop 45 pounds in one camp, it’s asking for trouble, especially at 36.
“You’re beating up on guys in sparring, and you continue to stay motivated. It’s a process. I got a call from Spencer Brown,” said Miller.
Jarrell doesn’t say who he’s been beating up during his sparring sessions and when it happened. If he can beat up Ruiz on Saturday, that would open many eyes from fans.
“He’s a right-hand guy for Turki to get these fights done. He said, ‘Listen, Turki wants to see you fight Andy.’ ‘Let me call you.’ I dropped the phone and called Andy.’
“‘Can I have permission to kick your a**?’ He’s like, ‘Bro, let’s make it happen.’ I hung up the phone and called them back to make a deal. ‘Send the paperwork,’” said Miller about how his fight with Ruiz got made.
It’s interesting that Miller phoned Ruiz when making the fight. That’s got to be a rarity for a fighter to call his potential opponent to check things out with them before making the fight.
