Miller fails drug test prior to fight with Joshua

In a report first mentioned by Dan Rafael of ESPN, Heavyweight contender Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller has tested positive for the banned substance GW1516 ahead of his bout with unified world titleholder Anthony Joshua, three sources with knowledge of the results had told ESPN on Tuesday night.

GW1516, also known as Cardarine or Endurobol on the black market, is an endurance booster that was being abused by athletes so much that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) added it to their prohibited list in 2009.

The drug is described by the WADA as:

“a developmental drug that was withdrawn from research by the pharmaceutical company and terminated when serious toxicities were discovered in pre-clinical studies.”

BREAKING: Heavyweight contender Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller has tested positive for the banned substance GW1516 ahead his scheduled challenge of unified world titleholder Anthony Joshua, three sources with knowledge of the results told ESPN on Tuesday… https://t.co/do1KFMVV8u

— Dan Rafael (@danrafaelespn) April 17, 2019

The test results, which became known Tuesday, were from a random Voluntary Anti-Doping Association urine test that Miller submitted to them back on March 20.

Miller (23-0-1, 20 KOs) testing positive ahead of his much-anticipated match against Joshua (22-0,21 KOs) for his WBA Super, IBF, WBO, and IBO Heavyweight World titles set for June 1. The fight for Joshua was going to be his debut fight on U.S. soil.

The undefeated heavyweight was hoping to turn Joshua’s debut in the States a loss in Miller’s backyard of Madison Square Garden. The fight is still slated to take place with a new opponent if Miller isn’t cleared per a report by boxing insider Mike Coppinger.

Spoke to @EddieHearn, who said the plan is definitely for Anthony Joshua to defend heavyweight championship on June 1 at MSG as planned. If Jarrell Miller isn’t clear to fight following adverse finding, a new opponent will be sought for that date

— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) April 17, 2019

Miller earned his shot at Joshua with consecutive wins over former World title opponents Gerald Washington, Mariusz Wach, Johann Duhaupas and Tomasz Adamek, who he beat quickly in 2 rounds in Chicago last October.

The build-up for this fight had gotten pretty heated. So much so that at the initial press conference, Miller got into a shoving match with Joshua along with an expletive-filled tirade.

Of course in a great twist of irony, Miller during the entire press run for this fight was accusing Joshua of taking PEDs.