Jarrell Miller vs. Michael Hunter Canceled Amid 'Legal and Regulatory' Issues

Originally posted on Dice City Sports | By Robert LaMar | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 7:39 PM ET

Heavyweight contender Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller’s return to the ring has once again been derailed. On Thursday, Miller announced via Instagram that his scheduled fight with Michael Hunter, set for Sept. 11 at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, has been canceled due to “legal and regulatory” issues.

Fight Week Spotlight Lost

The matchup, pitting Brooklyn’s Miller (26-1-2, 22 KOs) against Las Vegas’ Hunter (24-1-2, 17 KOs), was slated to headline a DAZN card strategically positioned during fight week for the massive Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford event at Allegiant Stadium. Instead, both fighters will now sit idle as the spotlight shifts to the weekend’s historic main event.

Miller’s Ongoing Struggles to Stay Active

This marks the second time in three months that a scheduled Miller fight has fallen apart. In June, the 37-year old heavyweight withdrew from a clash with unbeaten British contender Fabio Wardley due to a shoulder injury. Wardley went on to deliver a statement win by knocking out Miller’s replacement, Justis Huni, in the 10th round.

Miller has fought only sparingly since drawing with Andy Ruiz Jr. last August in Los Angeles. That majority draw with the former unified champion remains his most recent ring appearance.

MILLER-HUNTER CANCELLED

Jarrell Miller: "Hunters officially out. Fights off. Lmfao, can't make this s*** up."

Michael Hunter has also said that he has been told that the fight, planned for Sep. 11 at the Fontainebleau, is off.

This comes after Don King issued a… pic.twitter.com/SI8kvYXjbu

— EverythingBoxing | Darshan Desai (@EverythingBoxi2) August 21, 2025

A Troubled Track Record

Miller’s career has been marked by controversy and inconsistency since his high-profile collapse in 2019. After testing positive for four banned substances, he was pulled from his scheduled heavyweight title shot against then unbeaten Anthony Joshua at Madison Square Garden. Ruiz stepped in as a late replacement and stunned Joshua in one of the sport’s biggest upsets.

The fallout damaged Miller’s career trajectory. Since then, he has fought just five times in six years, with multiple cancellations and regulatory setbacks—including being pulled from a June 2020 bout in Las Vegas against Jerry Forrest after another failed drug test.

What’s Next?

At 37, Miller’s hopes of reestablishing himself as a top heavyweight are growing dim. Once considered a charismatic challenger with the size and swagger to trouble anyone, his repeated setbacks injuries, failed tests, and now regulatory issues have left him on the outside looking in.

Hunter, also 37, is left waiting as well. The crafty contender hasn’t fought since October 2023 and now faces further uncertainty with the collapse of this fight. For Miller, the cancellation adds yet another chapter to a career defined more by missed opportunities than by fulfilled promise.

This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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