HE hasn’t beaten a major opponent, he hasn’t won any eliminators, yet brash American heavyweight Jarrell Miller appears to be inching his way towards a shot at unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.

Miller’s next fight will be on November 17 against Bogdan Dinu at the Kansas Star Arena. Promoter Eddie Hearn hopes that that fight will be sanctioned for a WBA ‘regular’ heavyweight title. (Joshua holds the WBA’s Super title, as well as the IBF and WBO world titles.)

“We’re waiting for their [the WBA’s] decision on Manuel Charr. We would like this fight to be for the WBA regular title and we’ll wait for the news from them this week on their decision,” said Hearn.

He added of Dinu, “I’ve seen this guy in the camp with Anthony Joshua numerous times, they’ve had great sparring together for two or three camps.”

Miller said, “Credit to Bodgan for taking the fight – I’m fighting people I have no animosity to. He’s undefeated, he’s been in camp for a fight last weekend, so I know he’s in shape. It’s been a long journey to get to where we are today, I’m finally at the stage where I am getting that title shot and being in a place to fight the big guys. The proof is in the pudding, being big is not a crime. Big Baby is big and I’m going to keep throwing big punches and getting big wins.

“I’m finally getting the chance to headline a big card thanks to Eddie and Matchroom and I am going in for the kill. I’ve been in the gym since winning in Chicago and my hands feel good, so as always, I’m going for the KO. I want those big names, the Anthony Joshuas, the Dillian Whytes, Deontay aka Beyonce Wilder – you know I can’t stand that guy. So, let’s get this win and then if Dillian doesn’t fight AJ, I can turn that English Muffin into toasted strudel.”

Joshua’s next fight will be on April 13 at Wembley stadium, against an opponent to be confirmed.

jarrell miller

The bill in Kansas features Nico Hernandez, a talented Olympic medallist from Kansas, as well as Brandon Rios versus Ramon Alvarez, a brother of Canelo. “It’s the middle of nowhere, but it’s Kansas,” Rios said cheerfully. “I’m excited to be going back to fight there for the first time since 2009. I always come to fight and fighting Canelo’s older brother is great, everyone knows how I fight, and I am ready, I’m honoured to be part of a bill stacked with talented fighters.”

Claressa Shields, a two-time Olympic champion, looks to add the WBC middleweight title to her WBA and IBF belts against Scotland’s Hannah Rankin. “Only being 6-0 and having two world titles at both middleweight and super-middleweight, trying to become unified world champion – I don’t have to keep saying that I am the greatest woman boxer of all-time because you can see it. When you talk about women that box the way that I do there’s only one that’s with me at the top and that’s Katie Taylor, anyone else is further down the ladder. I’m number one, and Katie is 1 ½, that’s how great she is,” Shields said. “All the respect to the women that box though, we have more than one fight to fight, we’re fighting each other but also fighting for equal pay, equal TV time, equal sponsorship as the men.”

On the same bill Luis Arias boxes Gabriel Rosado while Ricky Burns, Anthony Sims Jnr and John Docherty will also feature.