Jarrell Miller could receive a a WBA world heavyweight title fight against Murat Gassiev.
The WBA recently clarified that Miller is not a mandatory challenger for Gassiev, despite initially announcing this status, but the 38-year-old American still hopes to receive a world title fight against the Russian champion.
Miller confirmed to Sky Sports that a WBA title shot could be next after his points win over Cuban Lenier Pero in April and Gassiev has also revealed that he is open to the fight.
“Yes, if there is an offer regarding Jarrell Miller, we are of course interested,” Gassiev told Sky Sports.
“Furthermore, if Moses Itauma decides to pursue the IBF route, Jarrell Miller will become an official contender for my WBA title, making the fight inevitable for me.
“We are also highly interested in a fight with [WBC champion] Agit Kabayel. If a concrete agreement is reached and this fight begins to materialise, I would gladly sign up for a unification bout.
“It all comes down to the specifics – the offer, the terms, the timing, and the venue. We are targeting fights that make sense both financially and for my career progression.”
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Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic have traded words ahead of their IBF title fight this month
Moses Itauma is the current WBA No 1 contender, but the unbeaten Brit will fight Filip Hrgovic for the vacant IBF belt on August 19, which should mean that Miller, ranked at No 2 by the WBA, is next in line for Gassiev.
The controversial Brooklyn boxer, nicknamed ‘Big Baby’, defeated Kingsley Ibeh by split decision in a January fight that went viral after Miller’s hairpiece was dislodged in the second round.
Miller could finally receive a shot at a world heavyweight title, over seven years since his cancelled fight against Anthony Joshua for the WBA, IBF and WBO titles in 2019 after Miller tested positive for banned substances.
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Jarrell Miller had another fiery clash with Anthony Joshua when they fought on the same bill in 2023
Gassiev was elevated to become the WBA world heavyweight champion after Oleksandr Usyk vacated his WBA, WBC and IBF belts in June.
The 32-year-old defended his WBA title with a sixth-round stoppage win over Peter Kadiru in Moscow last month and is now eager to acquire more world belts.
“It’s not just about Kabayel. To put it simply, I want any unification bout available,” Gassiev told Sky Sports.
“However, if defending my WBA title against a mandatory challenger becomes the immediate priority, that would be an excellent matchup for me and all boxing fans.
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Murat Gassiev knocked out Kubrat Pulev with a HUGE punch! Pictures courtesy of DAZN.
“In that scenario, we will gladly fulfil our mandatory obligations.
“That said, our ultimate goal remains a unification fight. The same applies to the winner of Dubois vs Wardley [for the WBO belt] or Itauma vs Hrgovic.
“We are genuinely interested in any available unification fights.”
