New York Boxing: Jarrell Miller

On Friday evening, May 27th, boxing returns to CBS Sports Network in Upstate New York. The fight will showcase New York’s own Heavyweight Champion Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller as he competes against Nick “Two Gunz” Guivas. Both fighters are vying for a crack at a top ten heavyweight such as Bermaine Stiverne, or Charles Martin, so that they can be in line for a championship fight against one of the World Champion belt holders in Anthony Joshua or the Deontay Wilder, the “Bronze Bomber.”

Nick Guivas is a 6’1” tall Heavyweight from Topeka, Kansas with over 200 amateur fights. Guivas started boxing at 7 years old, took a few years off since his amateur career, and has come back fearsome and with a vengeance amassing a record of (12-3-2, 9 KOs). He has won 6 of his last 8 fights by stoppage in impressive fashion.

“Big Baby” Miller is now rated #11 by the WBO, #12 by the WBA and #15 by the IBF. He hopes that this win will propel him into the top ten and earn him an opportunity to share the stage with one of the current champions. This Friday in facing Nick Guivas, he faces a power puncher with good experience. This fight is for the WBO NABO Heavyweight Championship and will be held at the Seneca Niagra Resort and Casino in Niagra Falls, New York.

In a recent interview, Guivas indicated that he has a solid game plan to defeat Miller. He feels that although Miller has a size and reach advantage, he, Guivas, is a better boxer and can take Miller into the “deep waters” aka the later rounds, where he feels Miller will run out of gas. Guivas feels he has good movement that will give Miller problems, and he thinks that although Miller has great punching power, Miller’s hands are just too slow. As a mobile fighter, Nick Guivas plans to use the experience he gained in his amateur career, his conditioning, and his speed to help him out-box Miller and get the “W” in this contest.

New York Fighting has never been shy about expounding on the attributes of New York’s native son, Jarrell Miller. He is a big, strong power puncher with true boxing skills. Unfortunately, as his opponent has articulated, he has shown some cardio issues in the long stretch and has taken time to catch up with faster moving opposition. That said, he has always found a way to win. In his last match against an excellent boxer puncher in Donovan Dennis, Miller was able to slow his opponent down with body shots, showcase his boxing skills and then finish Dennis before the final stanza.

Here against Nick Guivas he has the opportunity to show that he is more than just a power punching behemoth. The skill he demonstrated in the Dennis fight will go a long way against the faster and more mobile opponent. He can get some rounds in as the pressure from the big man begins to wear down Guivas. In this fight Miller can always “bang out” the smaller man, but if he is to begin to show the pundits that he has greater depth than the average competition, he needs to show his versatility.

Recently a fight scheduled between the current American champion Deontay Wilder, the Bronze Bomber, fell through because his opponent Alexander Povetkin failed a VADA drug test. Although many feel that Wilder should just fight the other belt holder Anthony Joshua for the unification, promoters will probably give both champions tune ups in order to start the build-up for their ultimate clash. An impressive win by Miller may give him an opportunity to pull an upset in a “tune-up” where Miller can use his prodigious power.

But before that situation presents itself Miller needs to dispatch “Two Gunz” in short order, while at the same time getting in enough work in to help prepare him for a championship opportunity. However, based on the interview ”Two Gunz” is coming to fight and not to “lay down,” and Miller has to make sure he does not get derailed himself

Writer: Adrian Anthony

Editor: Kyle Antonelli

Photo: Matt Culley