With the heavyweight division intriguing again, Planet Boxing is focusing on the best of the many up-and-coming prospects. Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller (15-0-1, 13 KOs), the undefeated slugger fighting out of Brooklyn, New York, meets that criteria and then some.
On Friday, January 22, at Casino Del Sol in Tucson, Arizona, Miller will put his unbeaten streak on the line against Donovan Dennis (12-2, 10 KOs), the hard-hitting southpaw from Davenport, Iowa.
After a successful kickboxing career, 27-year-old Miller decided to let his fists do the talking and is about to face the toughest challenge of his career.
In his opponent’s last fight, on the March 22 ESPN 2015 Boxcino Tournament Final, the 28-year-old Dennis was stopped via eighth-round TKO by highly touted Andrey Fedosov. The Tucson native was dropped in the third, seventh and eighth rounds, before the fight was stopped.
Before that defeat, Dennis had reeled off three straight victories. He isn’t a top contender, but he represents a consistently ascending caliber of opposition being scheduled for Miller. In the Brooklyn Bomber’s last bout he stopped Abhor Muralimov in the third round in October. It was his fourth consecutive win by stoppage and his first victory over an opponent with a respectable record. Muralimov came into the bout 16-1 before being throttled by Miller.
If Miller can defeat Dennis and look good doing it, we’re likely to start hearing his name mentioned alongside the other top young heavyweights. He has yet to reach the levels of Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker, but he’s moving in that direction.
In the co-main event, undefeated Rob “Bravo” Brant (18-0, 11 KOs), from St. Paul, Minnesota, fights Decarlo Perez (15-3-1, 5 KOs), from Atlantic City, New Jersey, for the vacant WBA-NABA middleweight title.
After five stoppages in a row, 25-year-old Brant went the distance in his last fight with Louis Rose on October 23. If he hopes to become a name in the middleweight division, he’ll need to beat Perez decisively.
Twenty-four-year-old Perez pulled out a statement-making win over previously undefeated Juan Ubaldo Cabrera in his last fight on August 28. Another victory over an undefeated fighter would likely justify Perez being awarded an official ranking.
The undercard spotlights 21-year-old Filipino star Harmonito Dela Torre (17-0, 12 KOs) making his American debut against 20-year-old Mexican Rafael Guzman (16-1-1, 10 KOs). Both fighters have talent. This fight should be an indication as to which fighter moves forward and which does not.
The fights at Casino Del Sol in Tucson, Arizona, are being promoted by Greg Cohen Promotions and will be televised live on ShoBox: The Next Generation.
This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.
