Heavyweight Prospect Jarrell Miller Set for ShoBox Main Event Aug. 19

Jarrell Miller is an undefeated young heavyweight prospect and he claims he’s the best of the young lions. “Big Baby” will be in the spotlight next month in the main event of a ShoBox: The New Generation card, where he’ll be able to back up his boasting.

Miller (17-0-1, 15 KOs) has looked terrific thus far in his young pro career, but he’s been feasting almost exclusively on regional opposition. When he headlines the ShoBox card on Aug. 19, though, he should have a solid test in front of him in Fred Kassi and the Brooklynite is ready for the challenge.

“This is an amazing opportunity,” Miller stated. “I’m in the main event going against a tough opponent, and he’s definitely game to fight. I’m ready to put his lights out like I do everybody else. I know he’s durable and a little older than me. He’s a tough guy and he can take a beating. So far, he’s only been stopped once. I’ll be the second.

“I’m going back to basics in this camp,” Miller added. “I’m an advanced fighter, but there are a couple of things I’ve wanted to work on. It’s easy for heavyweights to rely on power and forget about technique. You see what happened to Dominic Breazeale against Anthony Joshua? His power didn’t mean jack because there was no technique behind it. I want to be the kind of fighter who puts his technique first and power last.”

Cameroon’s Kassi (18-5-1, 10 KOs) hasn’t won a bout in three years but he’s been facing stiff opposition in that span. He fought to a draw with former world title challenger Chris Arreola and hung tough with Breazeale and Amir Mansour. Kassi hopes to turn things around against the highly-touted prospect.

“I approach Jarrell like all young fighters,” Kassi said. “I’m a seasoned pro that has fought top-tier opponents. Jarrell will have to bring his ‘A game’ against me. He's got size and power, but it’s nothing I haven’t seen. I'm tired of getting robbed by judges like in El Paso [against Arreola], and in Alabama [against Breazeale]. That should have been me fighting Anthony Joshua in The O2. They all seem to have ‘bad’ nights when I'm in the other corner. I'm hoping to actually get some credit when Miller has a ‘bad’ night too. I’m a heavyweight boxer, that’s boxer underlined. I move my feet, I use angles, I hit and don’t get hit. That’s boxing and it’s my art. Boxing fans are going to have a great time watching me dismantle a giant.”

Also slated for the bill, which goes down in the outdoor soccer venue Rhinos Stadium in Rochester, N.Y., will be an intriguing matchup between unbeaten bantamweight prospects Nikolay Potapov (14-0-1, 6 KOs) and Antonio Nieves (16-0-1, 8 KOs) over 10 rounds.

Opening the telecast, which will be aired live on Showtime at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, will be welterweight bomber Bakhtiyar Eyubov (10-0, 10 KOs) taking on veteran Karim Mayfield (19-3-1, 11 KOs) over 10 rounds as well.