By Ian S Palmer
Unbeaten heavyweight hopeful Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller of Brooklyn, New York continues on the comeback trail as he meets veteran Lucas ‘Big Daddy’ Browne of Australia this Saturday, March 18th. The 10-rounder takes place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and can be seen live on ProBox TV. Miller last fought in July when he stopped Derek Cardenas in the fourth round while Browne’s last fight took place in June when he stopped Junior Fa in the sixth round in an upset.
The 34-year-old Miller will enter the ring with a near-perfect record of 25-0-1 with 21 Ko’s. This will be his third fight since June after being out of the ring for almost four years because of failed drug tests. He was due to meet Anthony Joshua before failing tests in 2019 and failed tests again in 2020 when he was scheduled to meet Jerry Forrest. His first fight back was June in Argentina when he beat Ariel Bracamonte via a 10-round unanimous decision after having a point deducted in the fourth round.
Miller’s a good-sized heavyweight at 6-feet-4-inches tall with a reach of 78 inches, but entered the ring just over 341 lbs against Bracamonte and just over 328 lbs in his last outing against Cardenas. He’s not the typical muscle-bound heavyweight but his body shape has worked for him so far so he’s not expected to make any drastic changes in the near future. He’s also a former kickboxer who was a legitimate top-10 contender a few years ago.
Miller has better-than-average power as his knockout ratio currently stands at 80.8 per cent. He turned pro in 2009 after a brief but successful amateur career and has 103 rounds under his belt since. He hasn’t fought any top-ranked foes as his biggest wins have been against a 41-year-old Tomasz Adamek as well Bogdan Dinu, Johann Duhaupas, Akhror Muralimov, Donovan Dennis, Gerald Washington, Fred Kassi and Mariusz Wach. The lone draw on his record is a four-round affair with Joey Dawelko in 2013. Along the way he won the vacant WBO NABO Heavyweight Title in 2016.
The 43-year old Browne stopped Ruslan Chagaev for the regular WBA Heavyweight Title back in March, 2016 after recovering from a sixth-round knockdown. However, it was stripped from him after he failed a couple of drug tests. He steps into the ring with a mark of 31-3 with 27 big Ko’s. Browne turned pro back in 2009 and has 151 rounds under his belt since and also has experience in mixed martial arts and kick boxing.
Browne’s one of the bigger heavyweights around at the moment at 6-feet-5-inches tall with a 77-inch reach which gives him an edge edge in height on Miller but he gives up an inch in reach. He doesn’t own the strongest chin in the division as he’s been stopped in all three of his losses and has been dropped on several other occasions. He was brutally halted by Dillian Whyte in the sixth round in 2018, was stopped by Dave Allen in the third round a year later and was halted by Paul Gallen in just 115 seconds in April, 2021.
He’s such an exciting fighter though as he also possesses plenty of power with a current knockout ratio of 79.4 per cent and just four of his 34 career bouts have gone the distance. Along the way, Browne has beaten the likes of Junior Fa, Ruslan Chagaev, Chauncy Welliver, Julius Long, Eric Martel, Andriy Rudenko, Clarence Tillman, Travis Walker, Jason Gavern and James Toney. He’s also won several regional and minor belts such as the Universal Boxing Council Intercontinental Heavyweight Title as well as the WBF Asia Pacific, Australian, WBF World, Commonwealth Boxing Council, WBC Eurasia Pacific Boxing Council, and WBA Inter-Continental Titles.
Prediction…
Both boxers have a ton of power but Browne doesn’t have the greatest chin. He’s always got a puncher’s chance and if he can handle Miller’s power it’s possible he could outbox him. He’s 43 years old though and this fight is likely to end in a stoppage with Miller having his hand raised in victory.
