Boxing's Jarrell Miller has been suspended for performance-enhancing drug use. Again.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to ban Miller for two years due to a positive drug test for the banned substance GW501516. Miller, a heavyweight once tied to a big title fight against Anthony Joshua, can get a six-month reduction to that suspension if he completes a performance-enhancing drug treatment program, as well as a random drug-testing program administered by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency at the fighter's expense.
Miller, 32, was scheduled to fight Jerry Forrest on July 9, 2020, in Las Vegas but failed an out-of-competition drug test leading into that bout and was forced to withdraw.
In June 2019, Miller was supposed to fight Joshua for Joshua's WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles at Madison Square Garden. In advance of that fight, Miller tested positive for GW501516, a metabolic performance enhancer, which caused the New York State Athletic Commission to deny him a license. Miller tested positive for banned substances EPO (erythropoietin) and HGH (human growth hormone) in a subsequent test. The WBA suspended Miller six months.
In an interview with Fight Network this past June, Miller said that he has never taken "a steroid for performance-enhancing purposes" but that he has used drugs to heal injuries.
"Did I take something for healing properties, for injuries?" Miller said. "Yes, I have. But to win a fight and during a training camp? No, I have never done that.
"Nobody can be more outraged than me. I'm the one that's lost millions of dollars. I'm the one that's had his career on the line."
Miller (23-0-1) has 20 knockouts in 23 pro victories. The Brooklyn native has not fought since a 2018 win over Bogdan Dinu to claim the WBA-NABA interim and WBO-NABO heavyweight titles.
Also on Wednesday, the Nevada commission suspended UFC welterweight Niko Price six months due to a positive drug test for cannabis in relation to his Sept. 19 fight with Donald Cerrone in Las Vegas. The bout, which was ruled a majority draw, has now been overturned to a no contest due to the positive test, and Price will be fined $8,500.
This was Price's second time losing a result due to a positive marijuana test. Price had a February 2017 knockout win over Alex Morono in Texas overturned to a no contest by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation after testing positive for weed.
The Nevada commission suspended UFC fighter Marc-Andre Barriault for nine months and fined him $2,100 for a positive drug test for the banned substance ostarine. The positive test was in relation to Barriault's June 20 fight with Oskar Piechota. Barriault won that bout by second-round TKO, but that result has now been overturned to a no contest.