Jarrell Miller Meets Kingsley Ibeh on January 31 in New York City

New York, NY, USA - Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller 26-1-2 (22 KOs) is set to face Kingsley “The Black Lion” Ibeh 16-2-1 (14 KOs) on January 31 at Madison Square Garden, on the Lopez–Stevenson DAZN card, in a scheduled 10-round heavyweight bout. On paper it’s a fight between a proven world-level operator and a solid, ambitious journeyman who sits fairly in the wider top-50 mix. The gap in experience is clear, but so is the jeopardy if Miller strolls in without discipline.

Bout Overview

• Date: Saturday, January 31, 2026
• Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, USA
• Rounds: 10, Heavyweights
• Card: Teofimo Lopez vs Shakur Stevenson — “Ring VI” on DAZN

For Miller, it’s a must-win if he wants one more legitimate run at the division’s elite. For Ibeh, it’s the kind of gateway opportunity that can shift a career overnight.

Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller — Proven Level, Patchy Rhythm

Miller enters as the more established name and the man with true world-level reference points. The 37-year-old Brooklyn heavyweight has been in with elite opposition and shown he’s not out of his depth at that level.

Key points on Miller:

• World-level references:
  • Went to war with Daniel Dubois before being stopped late in December 2023.
  • Fought Andy Ruiz Jr. to a majority draw in August 2024 in a bout many felt could have gone his way.
• Activity and turbulence:
  • Only five fights since 2018, with long gaps caused by failed tests and collapsed fight dates (Joshua, Forrest, Wardley, Hunter, Chisora).
• Style profile:
  • 6'4", heavy-set pressure fighter who overwhelms with volume, pressure and body work rather than single-shot speed or finesse.

In this division inactivity is almost normal now, but for Miller it raises the question: does he still have the engine and rhythm to control a strong, motivated heavyweight over 10 rounds?

Kingsley “The Black Lion” Ibeh — Solid Journeyman With a Live Edge

Kingsley Ibeh (16-2-1 (14 KOs)) has built himself into a big, durable, ambitious heavyweight who isn’t there to play journeyman in the old sense of the word.

Profile notes:

• 32 years old, 6'4", 80" reach, Phoenix-based, originally from Nigeria.
• Former college/pro football player who converted to boxing relatively late.

Momentum and ranking:

• Riding an 11-fight win streak, 10 by knockout.
• Holds the WBC FECARBOX belt and hovers around the WBC top-30, which realistically places him in the broader top-50 pool.
• Knocked out veteran Gerald Washington in three rounds in September 2025, a result that added credibility to his run.

Earlier career setbacks included a stoppage loss to Jared Anderson and a draw with Guido Vianello. But that was when he was still raw and transitioning physically. In the past five years he’s added experience, composure and some nuance — he now presents as a confident, free-punching heavyweight who comes to win and can punch with bad intentions.

Form Guide — Proven Level vs Momentum

Miller’s side 26-1-2 (22 KOs):

• Winless in last two (Dubois TKO loss, Ruiz draw).
• Sporadic activity, limited recent rounds under the lights.
• Upside: proven at a level Ibeh has never touched and still has an unusual engine for his size when conditioned.

Ibeh’s side 16-2-1 (14 KOs):

• 11 straight wins, lots of stoppages, including over credible veterans.
• Arrives with physical momentum and a clear sense of identity.

So this becomes Miller’s higher ceiling vs Ibeh’s better continuity — a mix that has produced heavyweight upsets before.

Styles & Tactical Match-Up

On paper, Miller is several levels above Ibeh. That’s the baseline. But styles give Ibeh a path.

Physical & Range

Both men are 6'4", both are huge heavyweights:

• Miller often weighs 290–310 lbs.
• Ibeh sits near 280–290 lbs with long arms and real thump.

This is not a small-vs-big scenario — mid-range trades are dangerous for both.

Offense

• Miller:
  Comes forward behind a high guard and simple jab, does best work on the ropes with body shots and grinding combinations.
• Ibeh:
  More single-shot power and counters, less volume, improved angle usage, less telegraphing than early career tape.

Defense & Temperament

• Miller is hittable on entries and relies on chin, guard and work-rate.
• Ibeh is not slick but is calmer under fire and embraces exchanges rather than shrinking from them.

That’s a recipe for heavyweight jeopardy if Miller’s timing is off early.

Keys to Victory

Miller’s Keys

1. Respect early power — don’t assume class wins by itself.
2. Jab and feints to enter — avoid straight-line walk-ins.
3. Lean, maul, and body-work — sap arms and legs.
4. Win minutes, not the crowd — accumulation beats recklessness.

Ibeh’s Keys

1. Protect mid-range — that’s where his timing matters.
2. Front-load risk — rounds 1–3 are his best window.
3. Punch selection — clean counters over wild swings.
4. Stay alert late — a tired Miller is still a dangerous Miller.

Stakes in the Heavyweight Picture

For Miller, anything less than a win shuts the door on top-tier opportunities and shifts him into permanent gatekeeper/B-side mode.

For Ibeh, this is the chance he’s been grinding toward: beat Miller at MSG, and he enters the contender fringe with leverage and visibility.

THB Outlook

Miller is operating at a higher level of proven class and has faced opposition Ibeh has not. If he’s fit, focused and committed to professional habits — jab, pressure, body work — he should gradually seize control.

But Ibeh is a bona fide top-50 heavyweight now, not a soft touch. He can punch, he’s durable, and he still has ambitions. For him to win, he’ll need Miller to be rusty and complacent — and he’ll need to land something clean when the window opens.

Bottom line: this is Miller’s fight to control, but heavyweight history is littered with strong, motivated big men flipping a night that wasn’t supposed to be theirs.