THIS summer, Fabio Wardley will realise a career ambition by fighting outdoors at Portman Road. The Ipswich Town fan finally gets his chance to perform in front of supporters at the Premier League club on June 7 against American Jarrell Miller.
Wardley, the former British heavyweight champion, is the number one contender in the WBA rankings, while Miller is positioned at number four after a six-place jump in the latest rankings. The WBA Interim title will be on the line here.
This summer’s showdown is the latest in a long line of British boxing events held at football stadiums. Last year, IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois successfully defended his title against Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium.
In 2023, Chris Billam-Smith achieved a fairytale ending, beating Lawrence Okolie to become the WBO cruiserweight champion in front of an ecstatic crowd at the Vitality Stadium, home of Bournemouth AFC. Old Trafford, Elland Road, Goodison Park, and Hampden Park are other notable venues that have hosted major boxing events.
Wardley, with an undefeated record of 18-0-1 (17 KOs), faces the toughest test of his career against Miller, 26-1-2 (22 KOs), who has competed against higher-calibre opponents in his last two bouts – a draw against Andy Ruiz Jr. in August 2024 and a loss to Daniel Dubois in December 2023.
Six years ago, the New Yorker was scheduled to challenge Anthony Joshua for the unified world heavyweight championship at Madison Square Garden. However, the fight was cancelled when Miller failed multiple drug tests. The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) detected GW1516 (a metabolic modulator) in a sample collected on March 20, 2019, followed by human growth hormone (HGH) and EPO (erythropoietin) in subsequent tests on March 31, 2019. The WBA banned Miller for six months as a result.
Miller tested positive again for GW501516 (also known as GW1516) in June 2020, ahead of a planned July 9, 2020, fight against Jerry Forrest in Las Vegas. On December 2, 2020, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) unanimously voted to suspend him for two years, effective from the date of the failed test. He returned to the ring in June 2022, defeating journeyman Ariel Esteban Bracamonte on points in Argentina.
Last year was memorable for Wardley, who starred in a Fight of the Year contender on March 31 before delivering a stunning first-round finish in October. On both occasions, his opponent was 2020 Olympic bronze medallist Frazer Clarke. Their first encounter was a brutal, back-and-forth battle that pushed both men to their limits, ending in a 12-round draw. Nine months later, Wardley needed less than three minutes to secure victory in the rematch.
Miller represents the kind of test that will gauge Wardley’s world title credentials. Stepping up from two British title fights against the same opponent to facing Miller is a significant leap, but Wardley will be brimming with confidence – especially with thousands of fans at Portman Road cheering him on.
