The methods used by the various sanctioning bodies to rank fighters has been a source of bemusement for decades and the rise of Jarrell Miller to fourth from 13th in the WBA rankings, in the space of three months and without having a fight, is a worthy and topical case in point. 

There has long been an apparent fascination with, and loyalty to, the 36-year-old “Big Baby” even though he’s yet to beat a fighter that anyone of sane mind would consider worthy of a Top 10 placement at the time of beating them. There have been noteworthy victories, of course. The likes of Gerald Washington, Mariusz Wach, Johann Duhaupas, Tomasz Adamek and Lucas Browne could all boast name value of varying degrees at certain points in their careers but not one, due to age or faltering form, was deemed a realistic threat to Miller at the opening bell.

He’s undoubtedly tough and durable, he can bang too, yet in his first outing against a ‘live’ opponent he was stopped in 10 rounds by Daniel Dubois in December 2023. There’s no shame in that – but a loss in which only toughness is proved should not a Top 5 ranking make.

Team Miller might point to the bout that followed, and his most recent outing in August last year, when he went 12 rounds with Andy Ruiz Jnr. The judges couldn’t split them and though plenty felt Miller’s hustling and bustling approach was worthy of victory, the draw with the former world champion – the best result on Miller’s 26-1-2 (22 KOs) record – was far from outrageous. It’s worth highlighting that the increasingly disinterested Ruiz had been inactive for two years prior to that bout and was not riding high in any rankings himself. Furthermore, immediately following that draw the WBA rewarded Miller with a No. 13 ranking. 

He has not fought since.

His longest period of inactivity occurred between 2018 and 2022 when he failed multiple drug tests. The first came in the build-up to a scheduled June 2019 shot at then-champion Anthony Joshua, the second incident occurred when follow-up tests were carried out, and the third came 12 months later as he prepared to make a comeback against Jerry Forrest after securing a promotional deal with Top Rank. Consequently, his notoriety soared.

Miller went on to win three bouts upon his return in 2022, the most impressive coming against 43-year-old Browne, who had lost two of his previous five, in March 2023. Then came the loss to Dubois and the draw with Ruiz. 

In December 2024, at the WBA annual convention in Orlando, Florida, Miller attended with a view to request a higher ranking than 13th. This practice is nothing new and might all seem reasonable on the surface. Fighters, or their chosen representatives, are invited to what are called ‘rankings meetings’ to put their cases forward, whether that be for ranking inclusion, a higher ranking, or a title shot. 

Yet the case of Miller should also highlight why these meetings are open to ridicule.

The heavyweight stated, to WBA ranking officials, that he would like a shot at the WBA secondary belt, held by Kubrat Pulev, so he therefore should be moved significantly higher than 13th in the rankings. To underline his case he concluded by saying, “I’d like an opportunity to knock his mind out.”

In the January rankings, Miller – without a win since March 2023 – was moved from 13th to 12th. In February, he found himself at 10th and in March, the most recent rankings, he had moved up six places to 4th. 

It’s fair to note that Miller’s dramatic rise wasn’t only because of his emotional plea for personal betterment, however. As recently as March 3, Britain’s Fabio Wardley, the No. 1 contender promoted by Queensberry, was ordered to be the next opponent for Pulev in a contest that should have served as an eliminator for a shot at the real champion, Oleksandr Usyk. Much to Queensberry’s frustration, the negotiations came to nothing. 

Yet with June 7 booked for Portman Road Stadium, Queensberry were understandably keen to ensure their client retained his outdoor summer date and Miller, undoubtedly marketable, became the preferred fallback option.

A request was then lodged with the WBA to make Wardley-Miller for the interim title, a belt that the organization had previously phased out. The WBA, after also listening to Don King’s pleas for Michael Hunter to get a shot at Pulev, then confirmed that Pulev would fight Hunter, Wardley would fight Miller, and the winners must face off before the end of the year. That was when the latest rankings were published, on March 31, with Miller at No. 4.

He had moved up nine places in three months without having a fight. And if he didn’t have a fight, much less score a victory over a fighter above him, how can that rise be justified? The truth is, when looking at it only logically and fairly, it can’t.

Yet this tale is far from unique. And to place the blame solely on the WBA would be pointing the finger too thinly. The facilitation throughout the industry is both widespread and ingrained. 

Roy Jones Jnr, Canelo Alvarez and Tyson Fury are just three huge names who went on to enjoy the most fruitful periods of their careers after failing tests.  

Boxers move up the alphabet rankings at their own request each month and every single major promoter, sometimes at the insistence of the broadcaster they represent, will lobby for titles – from continental to interim to world – to be manufactured in the belief it will increase the appeal of a certain fight or enhance the value, and ranking, of a boxer they represent in the longer term. Promoters are here to promote, after all.

The sanctioning bodies, these businesses that survive from the fees they charge to attach titles to contests, are merely a cog in this long-rumbling, unsupervised machine.