Before he heads into the showdown against Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and his team confirmed he would step into the ring one more time. To that end, Fury recently confirmed a date and place: August 1 in Dublin. However, one major question still remains. There’s still no confirmation regarding who the former WBC champion will fight next.

That uncertainty may not last long, though. Fresh off a win in a title eliminator, heavyweight contender Jarrell Miller, known for both his knockout power and controversies, dropped hints about his next move. While much of the focus centers around Deontay Wilder, Miller revealed he has now appeared on Fury’s radar as well.

“I’m one of the most avoided heavyweights for a long time,” he reportedly told Play UK, as quoted by Boxing News. “We’re seeing that now. We’re trying to call Deontay Wilder out. He has no fight coming up. I’m the top heavyweight in America right now, so we’re trying to make some things happen. Let’s see if he’s going to bite the bullet.”

“Tyson Fury is very interested as well. I’d love to fight those guys. Deontay or Tyson would be a lovely fight for me. Let’s see if we can make it happen.”

Miller’s optimism follows recent reports indicating that former unified heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. has been ruled out as a potential opponent for Tyson Fury. The development followed earlier comments from Fury’s manager, Spencer Brown, who floated Ruiz Jr. and Miller as potential opponents. The Fury camp’s stance, however, has remained unchanged. They want him to face a credible and recognizable opponent.

“It looks like Tyson may have a fight, as we don’t want him to be waiting around, being out of the ring until November. That’s not right,” Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, told iFL TV. “It won’t be (Andy) Ruiz; it won’t be him. He wants a good type of opponent, like he had last time, a recognizable name in the opposite corner to tune up before facing AJ.”

That thinking also reflects how the buildup to the AJ fight is shaping up. Coming off the Jake Paul fight, Anthony Joshua is scheduled to make a return against Kristian Prenga on July 25. His team has clearly stated that they view it as a tune-up to help AJ shake off ring rust following the emotional toll of losing two close friends, ensuring he’s fully prepared for Fury.

From Fury’s side, the goal appears to be creating the impression that he is gradually scaling up the level of opposition before stepping in against AJ. To that end, Fury had his comeback fight against heavyweight contender Arslanbek Makhmudov.

So his next fight would ideally come against equally, if not more, recognizable names. In that regard, Jarrell Miller fits the bill.

From controversy to opportunity: Jarrell Miller targets Tyson Fury

For the American, a fight against a major attraction like Tyson Fury would represent a significant career opportunity. After navigating a long stretch of controversies, the Brooklyn-born heavyweight has been attempting to rebuild his standing in the division. The incident he is still remembered for dates back to 2019, when he tested positive for a banned substance ahead of the scheduled title fight against then-unified champion Anthony Joshua.

Reportedly, a similar infraction surfaced the following year, leading to a two-year suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Miller returned in 2022. But by then, the heavyweight landscape had changed dramatically as he suffered a 10-round knockout loss to Daniel Dubois. Miller’s gradual recovery, which included a draw against Ruiz Jr. before a closely contested win over Kingsley Ibeh, has taken time.

That changed with the recent unanimous win over Lenier Pero in the WBA title eliminator. The win placed him one spot above Fury in the WBA’s rankings, making a matchup appear logical. Still, the fight faces several complications.

He will turn 38 this July, meaning a showdown against the likes of Fury or Wilder could represent one of Miller’s final major opportunities. There is also the reality that the matchup poses a considerable risk for Fury. A loss to Miller would immediately throw the entire AJ fight into uncertainty.

So there’s a strong possibility Fury ultimately moves toward a low-risk, higher-reward opponent instead.