Anthony Joshua next opponent: Brit to announce June 1 foe next week after Jarrell Miller drugs test controversy
Joshua will make his US debut on June 1 against an as yet unnamed opponent
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Your support makes all the difference.Anthony Joshua's next opponent will be announced next week following allegations Jarrell Miller has failed a second drugs test.
Miller's participation for the New York heavyweight bout on June 1 was already under threat after the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) informed both camps of an adverse finding in a drug-testing sample, leading to him being denied a licence for the date at Madison Square Garden.
Miller retained the right to request a further sample and to reapply for that licence to challenge Joshua in what will be the champion's US debut.
However, promoter Eddie Hearn claims he has learned of a second alleged doping violation by Miller, meaning that fight is now dead in the water.
It was on March 20 when there was an adverse finding for GW1516, a metabolic modulator also known as cardarine and endurobol.
Hearn had already started the search for alternative opponents from the point of VADA's first update, and he wrote on social media on Friday: "We have now received news from VADA that Jarrell Miller has now failed a second separate test for a further substance.
"AJ's June 1 opponent will be announced next week. If you don't think you can beat him clean then delete my number!"
Hearn's Matchroom Sport had long planned to build Joshua's profile in the US boxing market, to the extent that the fight location, which they remain committed to, and Brooklyn's Miller had been selected specifically to maximise its appeal.
Responding to the initial adverse finding on Tuesday, Miller had written on Instagram on Thursday: "I have never knowingly taken any banned substance and when I found out the news I was totally shocked.
"My team and I stand for integrity, decency and honesty and together we will stand to fight this with everything we have.
"This was a voluntarily test that I was very happy to do and these results came just one week after another voluntarily test that I had taken which was completely clean."
It is understood several opponents, including fellow American Michael Hunter, remain in contention to replace Miller.
Attempts were made to contact representatives of both Miller and VADA, but neither were available for comment.
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