BoxRec

JARRELL MILLER-MICHAEL HUNTER TO HEADLINE SEPTEMBER 11 CARD DURING CANELO-CRAWFORD FIGHT WEEK

It won't be Jared Anderson as first planned, but Jarrell Miller will still get an all-American heavyweight showdown with agemate Michael Hunter a month tomorrow.

The contest is the first of many to be announced over the coming weeks, set to headline a September 11 event in Las Vegas as part of the Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford fight week festivities. Their super middleweight megafight for all the 168-pound marbles takes place two days later at Allegiant Stadium, streamed exclusively on Netflix worldwide.

Miller (26-1-2, 22 KOs) was originally slated to face WBA interim champion Fabio Wardley (19-0-1, 18 KOs) on away soil in Ipswich, England on June 7.

Instead, the 37-year-old withdrew a month earlier through a shoulder injury sustained in camp and appeared on a collision course with 'Big Baby' Anderson, as Riyadh Season head Turki Alalshikh outlined during a discussion posted online last month.

Miller has done plenty of talking since the Wardley fight fell through, watching the unbeaten Brit unseat contender Justis Huni in dramatic fashion.

Unimpressed by long-reigning former champion Deontay Wilder's return as well as criticising Anderson among others, the New York native has long sought a new fight date and marquee matchup as this past week marked a full year since his 12-round majority draw with another former titlist in Andy Ruiz on the Crawford-Israil Madrimov undercard.

Instead, he'll face a highly-ranked contender in Hunter (#1 WBA, #7 IBF) - whose career-best work has come at cruiserweight - floored in the final round en route to a 12-round decision defeat by Oleksandr Usyk for the WBO crown in April 2017.

Having mirrored the unbeaten Ukrainian by jumping up to the sport's glamour division, the Las Vegas native will make his first appearance of 2025, having struggled for activity against quality opposition after flickering between outings in Mexico and the US since 2021.

More undercard information will follow in the coming days.

Good replacement for Anderson. Arguably a better fight. First relevant name Hunter will have faced for a long time. If he has anything left in him, he should win

Don’t even know if this will be Netflix.

Did Turki mention the week leading up to Bud-Canelo will be on Netflix?

So this will headline its own card on the Thursday.

joshj909 wrote: ↑10 Aug 2025, 03:30 Good replacement for Anderson. Arguably a better fight. First relevant name Hunter will have faced for a long time. If he has anything left in him, he should win

Yh now we get to find out. He’s aged now too.

Been very unlucky getting opportunities has Hunter.

I thought he nicked the Povetkin fight all those years back and had he won that then the heavyweight landscape that followed could have looked a lot different with him surely getting a lot more opportunities.

Hunter is going to get bashed up here…. If I am wrong and he is still good enough then he has had an amazing waste of a career…

jameswilson wrote: ↑10 Aug 2025, 03:53 Been very unlucky getting opportunities has Hunter.

I thought he nicked the Povetkin fight all those years back and had he won that then the heavyweight landscape that followed could have looked a lot different with him surely getting a lot more opportunities.

But even a draw against Povetkin back then wasn’t bad. Could have continued.. who knows if Hearn still offered him fights.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑10 Aug 2025, 05:38

jameswilson wrote: ↑10 Aug 2025, 03:53 Been very unlucky getting opportunities has Hunter.

I thought he nicked the Povetkin fight all those years back and had he won that then the heavyweight landscape that followed could have looked a lot different with him surely getting a lot more opportunities.

But even a draw against Povetkin back then wasn’t bad. Could have continued.. who knows if Hearn still offered him fights.

I think he priced himself out of some because he was getting paid over the value for those tri combat fights. I know his fight with Hughie fell through due to Hughie getting an injury and I feel like negotiations and injuries have hindered a few other fights.

Was thinking then what’s higher.

You meant Hughie.

Yh I think that got rescheduled at least twice.

So, Hunter was supposedly fighting Pulev in the semifinal of a tournament, with the Wardley vs Huni the other semifinal.

Is Miller the replacement for Pulev so the winner of this one faces Wardley?

Or is Hunter a replacement for Jared Anderson?

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑10 Aug 2025, 07:04 Was thinking then what’s higher.

You meant Hughie.

Yh I think that got rescheduled at least twice.

Yep. Autocorrect working against me there

JC wrote: ↑10 Aug 2025, 07:04 So, Hunter was supposedly fighting Pulev in the semifinal of a tournament, with the Wardley vs Huni the other semifinal.

Is Miller the replacement for Pulev so the winner of this one faces Wardley?

Or is Hunter a replacement for Jared Anderson?

Well Pulev is the regular champion. So I’m guesssing winner will be mando for him rather than Usyk.

It could be that we get Wardley vs Pulev and then this fight decides who faces the winner. However, given WBA's history of getting sued for taking away mandated title shots, I would be surprised if they were willing to take away Hunter's mandatory shot after ordering it...

Jarrell Miller-Michael Hunter set for September 11 in Las Vegas

American heavyweights Jarrell Miller and Michael Hunter are set to fight in Las Vegas on September 11.

They will headline a showcase event in Sin City in the lead-up to the Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford bout at the Allegiant Stadium on September 13, The Ring has learned and subsequently shared on its social pages.

Miller, who has a checkered history with PED usage, has had his last two fights on Riyadh Season bills, getting stopped in the 10th round by Daniel Dubois and then drawing with Andy Ruiz. He has not fought since that Los Angeles draw in August of 2024, but had been due to face Fabio Wardley in Ipswich, England, but Miller – following a controversial and distasteful press conference – didn’t make it to the fight and Justis Huni stepped in to challenge Wardley.

A shoulder injury was cited as the reason.

Hunter, whose career has been blighted by inactivity and lack of opportunity, had been seeking a fight with Kubrat Pulev for a version of the WBA belt, but the 37-year-old Las Vegas-based boxer with a record of 24-1-2 (17 KOs) has managed three fights last year after having only had one outing in 2023 and none in 2022.

Hunter’s lone loss came to the brilliant Oleksandr Usyk in 2017 when the American lost a decision in a cruiserweight bout.

Hunter has campaigned as a heavyweight since, and is 12-0-2 in his last 14, taking the unbeaten records of Martin Bakole and Sergey Kuzmin in the process.

Miller is also 37. He had been due to face Jared Anderson that fight week in September, but Miller took to social media last week to say Anderson had pulled out and Deontay Wilder had rejected a fight against him.

On Friday last week, Hunter also took to social media to vent his frustrations when he wrote on X: “Pulev and his team continue to run. Joke! Boogieman problems.”

Don king really needs to die dosent he. Any time any fighter is in anyway associated with him and a fight he ts booked I just don’t believe it will happen…

Don King looks to stop Michael Hunter and Jarrell Miller fighting on September 11

Promoter Don King is seeking to halt the announced heavyweight bout between Michael Hunter and Jarrell Miller, which is set for September 11 in Las Vegas.

Miller and Hunter will headline a showcase event in Sin City in the lead-up to the Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford bout at the Allegiant Stadium on September 13.

King, who says in a press release that he has a “legal and binding contract” with Hunter, has issued a cease and desist order to SELA and TKO Group Holdings, Inc., which will promote the fight as part of the build-up to the superfight that weekend between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Terence Crawford.

Don King Promotions won the WBA purse bid in May to promote a fight between Hunter and WBA secondary heavyweight titleholder Kubrat Pulev with a bid of $1,100,000, and says that plans to stage a fight between Hunter, 24-1-2 (17 KOs), and Miller, 26-1-2 (22 KOs), flies in the face of those plans.

“They continue to disobey the WBA and its clear directive on the Pulev-Hunter championship fight,” said King. “Hunter is under contract to Don King Productions and he’ll be fighting for a world championship.”

Hunter, 37, fought on one of King’s cards in June of 2024, winning a minor WBA belt, while his most recent fight in December took place in Mexico.

Don King is a fornicating twat. Why on earth do the WBA Let him do this to them every single time and why does anyone ever sign a contract with him in 2025?? Also, why is he obsessed with the WBA Regular belt?? He's 93, Hunter should just fight and hope something happens before a court date

Turki Alalshikh 1 Don King 0

Turki Alalshikh has gone 1-0 up in his promotional tussle with Don King after securing heavyweight Jarrell Miller’s September 11 clash with Michael Hunter for Canelo vs Crawford fight week in Las Vegas.

Hunter’s Legal Declaration

World Boxing News has learned that Hunter issued a formal legal declaration on August 11, 2025, stating that he is a free agent and not bound by any agreement with Don King Productions.

In a document obtained by WBN, Hunter accused DKP of “material breach” for failing to respond to legal correspondence by April 27, effectively ending any contractual ties.

Hunter also described specific terms in the Pulev bout agreement as “draconian and unacceptable,” even though King accepted the redlined version for the $1 million purse bid.

---

The Cease-and-Desist

The document states, “Michael Hunter, Boxer, (hereinafter MHB) hereby provides formal notice of the dissolution of any and all existing agreements or contracts with Don King Productions Inc. (hereinafter DKP), for material “breach” whether implied or express.

“As of April 27th, 2025, Michael Hunter, via DKP’s assent by “non-response” to certain legal correspondence, was no longer legally bound by any contractual terms that may have existed between the parties.

“This Notice affirms that no binding agreement, contract, or obligation currently exists between Michael Hunter and any other party regarding the subject matter in question,” the letter adds.

“MHB (Hunter) acts in full autonomy, not under contract, obligation, or control by any third party. This declaration is made under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Nevada.”

Turki not messing around.

I hope Hunter wins, enjoy watching him box, never understood why he has been inactive unless the promotional issues were behind that. Miller is just so loud, imagine him as your neighbour.

SeanBrennan wrote: ↑12 Aug 2025, 14:00 I hope Hunter wins, enjoy watching him box, never understood why he has been inactive unless the promotional issues were behind that. Miller is just so loud, imagine him as your neighbour.

Hunter's career is a bit like his dad's.

keithmoonhangover wrote: ↑12 Aug 2025, 14:09

SeanBrennan wrote: ↑12 Aug 2025, 14:00 I hope Hunter wins, enjoy watching him box, never understood why he has been inactive unless the promotional issues were behind that. Miller is just so loud, imagine him as your neighbour.

Hunter's career is a bit like his dad's.

ah forgot his Pa was a HW too, bit before I was watching boxing in the US

Kubrat Pulev vs Michael Hunter announced for October 4

Don King says he’s got Kubrat Pulev vs Michael Hunter scheduled for October.

Don King Productions has announced an October 4 date for a fight between Kubrat Pulev and Michael Hunter, just days after King issued a cease and desist order against the news that Hunter would fight Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller on September 11.

King says the fight is set for October 4 in Miami, at Casino Miami, formerly known as Miami Jai-Alai Fronton, where he’s held several shows in recent years.

Whether or not the fight — which would be for Pulev’s “world” (aka “regular”) WBA heavyweight title — actually happens remains to be seen. King won a purse bid for the fight at $1.1 million, and says he still has a contract with Hunter (24-1-2, 17 KO) that was signed in February 2024, for three years.

Here is King’s side of the ongoing situation:

“The threats of lawsuits continues against the WBA by Epic Sports and Entertainment. It’s all corruption, fraud, bribery, rigged schemes and crooked scams by Epic Sports appealing to the WBA for reconsideration of the WBA purse bid, for Pulev vs Hunter, which DKP won. Now, Epic Sports is trying to change and to nullify the bout. This clouds the atmosphere with lies and the deception of the truth, fake and false news.”

“The WBA honorably stood up for their rules and regulations and declared the purse bid valid and legitimate, as held, then Epic Sports and the WBA champion Kubrat Pulev made an appeal to change the meaning of the WBA rules and regulations…The WBA honorably denied the champion Kubrat Pulev and Epic Sports, then Epic Sports rewrote the purse bid contracts just as though they had won the purse bid, and asked the WBA to dishonorably and illegally grant their appeal.”

“However, John Wirt never stops in trying to prevent the bout, for the No. 1 contender Michael Hunter, not to fight. Now Epic Sports John Wirt and Ivaylo Gotzev are filing a lawsuit for the arbitrations against the WBA’s decisions of justice and fair play against their Epic Sports and Entertainment Company. However, DKP will not wait for that decision to come about. DKP will stand up and support the WBA’s honor and credibility in their decision for fair play and justice regarding the WBA purse bid situation. The credibility of the WBA is at stake.”

“The credibility of the WBA” is a pretty funny idea to any longtime boxing fan, and King is hardly some paragon, but it has to be said that if he does have a valid contract with Hunter, and he can cover the purse bid he won, then yeah, he has a point.

King also says that Blair Cobbs, Adrien Broner, and Noel Mikaelian will also be in action on the supposed October 4 card.

The 44-year-old Pulev (32-3, 14 KO) beat Mahmoud Charr last December in Bulgaria, ending Charr’s long, bizarre claim to being “world heavyweight champion.” Hunter, 37, has fought at a fairly low level since a controversial draw against Jerry Forrest on a Triller card in late 2021, but has won four straight.

This really is a lot of trouble to go to over a fight that will barely register on the larger boxing radar, but that is a lot of Don King’s business for the last 15 or 20 years. He’s still kicking, if only just.

Hunter is an odd one - talented yes, but has lived off really the win vs Bakole and the draw vs Povetkin for an awful long time.

People have kind of forgotton the lucky draw vs Forrest.

But as for Miller - I frown every time he gets a big fight, the guy should not be boxing full stop.

according to Hunter, Miller pulled out.

Doesn’t make sense. Hunter is the one with legal issues. Miller has split with Salita, so no reason for Miller to pull out.

He’s even called out Wardley again.