Jarrell Miller Disputes the Andy Ruiz Majority Draw
Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller and Andy Ruiz Jr. fought to a majority draw on Aug. 3, 2024, on the Terence Crawford–Israil Madrimov undercard in Los Angeles. One judge scored the heavyweight bout 116–112 for Miller, while the other two returned 114–114 cards. Miller said afterward that he believed he had done enough to win, but the official result was a draw.
A competitive heavyweight bout
The fight at BMO Stadium matched Miller’s forward pressure against Ruiz’s fast combinations. Ruiz returned after a lengthy layoff and started actively, while Miller raised his work rate as the rounds went on and pressed the former champion. Ruiz later said he injured his right hand during the contest, though he continued through the scheduled 12 rounds.
The scorecards captured the close result: judge Zachary Young gave Miller the fight 116–112, while judges Edward Hernandez Sr. and Steve Weisfeld each scored it 114–114. Under the majority-draw ruling, neither boxer was declared the winner. Miller’s belief that he deserved the decision is his view of the contest; it does not change the official result.
What the draw meant
Ruiz entered the bout with a 35–2 record and had not fought since September 2022. Miller came in after his December 2023 stoppage loss to Daniel Dubois. Their meeting was an important return for both: Ruiz was looking to re-establish himself among heavyweight contenders, and Miller was trying to recover momentum after his first professional defeat.
The fight became more competitive as Miller found success with pressure and body work, while Ruiz landed the cleaner combinations in stretches. That contrast helps explain why the judges did not agree on a winner. A punch-count summary can add context, but it cannot replace the round-by-round scoring that determined the official draw.
Miller’s reaction and a possible rematch
Miller publicly maintained that he had earned the victory and remained open to a rematch. Ruiz also expressed interest in fighting again after the draw. Those comments made a second meeting a reasonable possibility at the time, but they were not confirmation that a rematch had been contracted. Any account of the fight should keep that distinction clear: the first bout ended in a majority draw, and the fighters’ reactions showed that they saw the close result differently.
For Ruiz, the draw left questions about his return to the ring after nearly two years away. For Miller, it gave him a competitive performance but no official win to add to his record. The outcome preserved the rivalry without resolving it, leaving any future bout to be determined by the fighters and their promoters.
Sources
- Bad Left Hook: Ruiz and Miller fight to a majority draw
- BoxingScene: Ruiz–Miller ends in majority draw
Sources: boxingscene.com; premierboxingchampions.com; matchroomboxing.com
Tags
MMA, Combat Sports
