Inevitably, Anthony Joshua and Jarrell Miller have had an exchange behind the scenes ahead of this weekend’s bumper night of boxing.
Joshua will face Otto Wallin on Saturday night, a win against the tricky southpaw setting up a long-awaited clash with Deontay Wilder, who also fights on the card.
Further down the bill, Miller fights Daniel Dubois. In the build-up, he’s been just as interested in slating ‘AJ’, and the pair came face-to-face for at the very start of fight week.
The confrontation appeared to revolve around Miller accusing Joshua of ducking fights. He called him a ‘p***y’, but AJ hit back at those claims.
“I know what I’ll do and who I’ll fight. You don’t know me. Look at my record, who have I ducked?”
Anthony Joshua and Jarrell Miller go face-to-face again 🔥👀#DayofReckoning | Saturday | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | @Turki_alalshikhpic.twitter.com/ZhtFfLRSOc
— Queensberry Promotions (@Queensberry) December 18, 2023
Whilst it’s Miller who instigated the exchange at the press conference last month, it’s Joshua who has the right to harbour more bad blood.
He was all set to make his US debut at Madison Square Garden back in 2019 against Miller, but the trash-talking heavyweight was flagged for banned substances in his system.
Another failed test further down the line saw the American banned for two years by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. He has built up three low-level wins since, keeping his undefeated record and landing a big-stage fight against Dubois.
Should Joshua beat Wallin and Miller come out of his battle with Dubois victoorious this weekend, there’s a set-up for a grudge match for the ages ready and waiting. Whether or not their paths will cross in the ring remains to be seen, but there is nothing manufactured about this rivalry.