Anthony Joshua vs Jarrell Miller: World heavyweight champion set for New York adventure but ultimate prize remains out of reach

AJ will put up his WBA Super, WBO and IBF titles at Madison Square Garden after failing to negotiate an undisputed title fight with Deontay Wilder

Anthony Joshua has taken his first step into the unknown after announcing his next fight against Jarrell Miller in New York to mark his US debut. Joshua has changed the game, at least in the UK, resetting expectations with eye-popping numbers to fill stadiums. But the Promised Land is to crack the US market and generate an appetite for your fights on US pay-per-view: the ultimate challenge for AJ’s brand and promoter Eddie Hearn.

Joshua and Hearn have made a point of doing things their way since a near-seamless run to the pinnacle of the sport and had planned to pack out Wembley Stadium for a third occasion in April, only for Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury’s thrilling draw to scupper their plans.

But Joshua has rarely flinched when setbacks have occurred: Dillian Whyte, after a bruising 2018 appeared to signal the end of his rebuild following a brutal loss to AJ, was pencilled in as the contingency.

Valuing himself highly in negotiations though, The Body Snatcher’s pride kicked in, deeming the opening offer as “utterly ridiculous,” to leave negotiations dead in the water and Hearn scrambling for a different path altogether.

Boxing so often masquerades as a soap opera as much as the purest form of sport, with politics and trash talk influencing debate to prolong the wait to see the best against the best. It is arguable where the blame lies, but Joshua, at least for now, has an intriguing next step and a new chapter in his legacy.

Though it is impossible to not imagine what might have happened had Fury not inconceivably risen a fraction of a second before the 10-count after absorbing a sickening knockdown at the hands of Wilder. Failure to do so would have almost certainly seen Wilder march on, matching with Joshua at the already pencilled-in Wembley date in April.

Joshua’s appeal is undoubtedly infectious and Madison Square Garden should witness a crushing display from the champion. Miller is a big, bruising block of a man, seemingly able to absorb punishment, but not mimic Joseph Parker’s balletic movement, which should allow Joshua to shine. But beyond Miller the path is murky.

The WBC ordered Whyte to fight Dominic Breazeale in a WBC final eliminator this week, which could push back that allusive undisputed heavyweight fight into 2020 and leave AJ with an underwhelming end to 2019.

Anthony Joshua lands on Alexander Povetkin (Getty ) (Getty)

Rematches against Parker or Povetkin are non-starters, whilst Luis Ortiz would be deemed as Wilder’s leftovers. Joe Joyce, should he blitz Bermane Stiverne next week, could become relevant quickly, but surely not quick enough to become a legitimate opponent. But the intrigue of Oleksandr Usyk’s imminent venture into the heavyweight division leaves Hearn with an ace in the hole.

The majestic Ukrainian cleared out the cruiserweight division last year in such supreme fashion there was barely a debate over his Fighter of the Year status.

His mutual affiliation to Hearn and DAZN should smooth over negotiations, though Usyk would need to be busy to squeeze in a couple of fights to adjust to the extra weight. Usyk has the power to immediately move into mandatory status with the WBO (one of the four bodies he holds world titles once he steps up), though Joshua would not be obligated to fulfil it until the back end of 2019.

Jarrell Miller is next for Anthony Joshua (Getty ) (Getty)

Usyk would be dwarfed in stature compared to Joshua, though his skill could conceivably compensate for that, as he bids to follow in the footsteps of Evander Holyfield – presenting an appealing clash of styles.

That puzzle will be solved in the months ahead; New York is an exciting distraction, but the ultimate prize of becoming an undisputed champion remains out of reach.