Jarrell Miller says he has little respect for Anthony Joshua and pushed the three-belt heavyweight champion at Tuesday’s press conference simply because he smiled. The two fighters had their first public face-to-face meeting in New York as they promoted their upcoming fight at Madison Square Garden on June 1, though tempers frayed on stage. ‘Big Baby’ pushed Joshua the moment he walked over to him, almost sparking a mass melee, having thrown a number of insults at his rival during the press conference.
Miller eventually decided to walk off stage as Joshua remained calm despite the altercation, and afterwards the American explained why Joshua had got under his skin. Asked why he pushed AJ, Miller told IFL TV: ‘He was smiling. There ain’t nothing to f***ing smile about. I don’t know what he think was going to happen.
‘I remember the first time at the press conference he wanted to have a conversation with me, sit down and talk. I ain’t got nothing to f***ing talk about. I got nothing to talk about. ‘You want to talk to me, come punch me in my face. That’s how we talk. I respect war.
‘I ain’t got nothing to talk about. You got something I want, and I want it, I’m gonna take it. So we ain’t got nothing to talk about until we get in that ring.’ Miller was not Joshua’s first choice opponent, having tried unsuccessfully to fight Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury, and he expects to make light work of the 30-year-old when they meet in the summer.
Joshua explained: ‘I could hype him up but I will keep it real. Miller can’t punch, he hasn’t got that much of a good work-rate, I’ll throw more output punches. ‘He’s been knocked out seven times, he’s the softest puncher in the heavyweight division. ‘He’s done nothing as a fighter in the amateur ranks or as a professional. And he will come up against a real champion. There is no fairytale story – the facts and stats show I will beat Miller and knock him out. That’s the truth in plain sight.’
