“A unification fight with Hrgović is out of the question for now because the Croatian will definitely take a break. Next, we’ll be watching the Dubois-Wardley rematch on October 17 with great interest. Itauma is no longer the WBA [mandatory] title challenger, and the International Boxing Association has named Jarrell Miller as Murat’s challenger. We’re currently negotiating a fight with Jarrell Miller. We’ll see what happens next. God willing, Murat will fight once more before the end of the year,” Kadushin told Match TV.
The “International Boxing Association” wording likely came through translation because the IBA does not control professional WBA rankings. The WBA’s August ratings list Miller at No. 1 following Itauma’s removal, although the sanctioning body has not published a separate resolution identifying him as its official mandatory challenger.
Miller’s Pace Presents Gassiev With Difficult Test
The matchup offers Miller a better opportunity than another contender bout. Gassiev owns the cleaner technique and more compact power, but Miller’s size, pressure, and punch output produce a completely different type of challenge.
Miller weighed 305 pounds for his April victory over Lenier Pero and threw more than 1,000 punches across 12 rounds. He does not need much space to work. His success comes from walking opponents backward, leaning on them, and forcing them to operate at a pace that becomes increasingly uncomfortable.
Gassiev prefers to wait for calculated openings before releasing short hooks and right hands. That patience works when opponents allow him to set his feet. Miller will try to deny him that opportunity by crowding him from the opening bell.
Tempo may decide the outcome. Gassiev must punish Miller during his forward movement without allowing the challenger’s bulk to pin him against the ropes. Waiting for perfect power shots would leave Miller free to accumulate punches and drain him through constant physical contact.
Neither man has been easy to remove. Gassiev has never been stopped as a professional, while Miller’s only stoppage defeat came against Daniel Dubois in the final seconds of their 2023 fight. A prolonged inside battle would test more than their chins. Carrying Miller’s weight and answering his volume for 12 rounds may prove more damaging than any individual punch.
At heavyweight, Gassiev remains largely untested against the division’s upper level. His reputation was built at cruiserweight, where he won the IBF and WBA titles before losing a wide decision to Oleksandr Usyk. His run in the larger division has supplied victories and a championship designation, but not the type of opponent who establishes his place among Filip Hrgovic, Daniel Dubois, and Agit Kabayel.
Ruiz Rematch Offers Matchroom Bigger Prize
A Miller victory would supply Matchroom with an obvious follow-up option. Ruiz officially signed a multi-fight agreement with the company in July, while Miller headlined Matchroom’s April card against Pero.
Their first meeting ended in a majority draw in August 2024 after Miller outworked Ruiz during long portions of the contest. Ruiz suffered a fractured right hand during the bout, giving him a legitimate explanation for his reduced output over the second half. A healthy second meeting would settle whether the injury prevented Ruiz from taking control or Miller’s pressure was always going to wear him down.
Before that becomes an option, Ruiz must defeat Damian Knyba on Friday at the Prudential Center in Newark. He has fought only three times since losing his titles to Anthony Joshua in December 2019, beating Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz before drawing with Miller. His two-year absence makes the Knyba bout an evaluation as much as a comeback event.
Sharp performances from Ruiz and Miller would make another meeting far easier to sell. Matchroom would have two recognizable American heavyweights, unfinished business from the draw, an injury storyline, and a world title that gives the second contest far greater importance.
Several steps remain. Miller still must finalize the Gassiev fight and win it, while Ruiz cannot afford to struggle against an opponent selected to help restart his career. Both men are in their late thirties, leaving little time for another rebuilding cycle after a defeat.
This WBA route offers Matchroom something the American heavyweight scene has lacked: a marketable domestic title fight between familiar names with genuine unfinished business.
