New opponent offered up for Anthony Joshua after Dillian Whyte talks fall though

After over three years out of the ring, Miller has fought three times in the last year with his promoter Dmitry Salita putting his fighter forward to fight the two-time heavyweight champion in August.

It comes after talks to stage a rematch between Joshua and Whyte fell through. The two met in a blistering contest in 2015 with Joshua securing a seventh round knockout victory that propelled him towards his first world title shot.

But after negotiations between the two camps, promoter Eddie Hearn revealed this week their offer that was ‘nowhere near’ meeting Whyte’s demands.

Joshua remains on course to fight Deontay Wilder in Saudi Arabia at the end of the year following extensive talks with Skills Challenge Entertainment, the promotion looking to bring one of the biggest fights in boxing to the Middle East.

Having beaten Jermaine Franklin on points in April, his first fight under new trainer Derrick James, the former Olympian has been keen to fight again in the summer before that showdown in December.

Speaking this week, Hearn admitted Skills Challenge are reluctant for Joshua to be in the ring again before the Wilder fight with Joshua and his team eager to get another test over the line before taking on the WBC champion.

‘He needs a fight against someone who’s going to allow him to work on, under the lights, everything he’s been working on with Derrick James,’ Hearn told Boxing Social.

‘There’s no point fighting a fight that’s against someone he’s going to take out in a round. And it’s difficult to fight an elite, top three of five guy when you’re fighting Deontay Wilder four months later.

‘So we’re in a bit of a difficult position. I don’t think Saudi want him to fight, because they want him to be ready for Deontay Wilder in December.

‘But we as a team, Derrick James, Anthony and 258 Management all feel that it would be beneficial for his preparation to have that fight in August.’

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