Joshua looking for new opponent for debut fight in US

LONDON (AP) — World heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua’s debut fight in the United States won’t now be against Jarrell Miller, according to Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn, after a second alleged doping violation by the American boxer.

Joshua, who holds the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO belts, had been scheduled to fight Miller on June 1 at Madison Square Garden.

Miller’s participation was initially jeopardized on Tuesday when the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) informed both camps of an “adverse finding” in a drug-testing sample, leading to Miller being denied a license for the fight.

Miller retained the right to request a further sample and to reapply for that license to challenge Joshua.

But on Friday, Hearn wrote on social media: “We have now received news from VADA that Jarrell Miller has now failed a second separate test for a further substance.

“AJ’s June 1 opponent will be announced next week — if you don’t think you can beat him clean then delete my number!”

Responding to the initial adverse finding, Miller had written on Instagram on Thursday: “I have never knowingly taken any banned substance and when I found out the news I was totally shocked.”

During the promotional tour for the fight, Miller said both fighters had agreed to between 10 and 12 weeks of drug testing in the buildup to the bout.