Heavyweight boxer Jarrell Miller's hairpiece became dislodged during his split-decision victory over Kingsley Ibeh on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. The incident occurred in the second round of the bout, which marked Miller's first professional fight at the venue.
Match Overview
The fight between Jarrell Miller and Kingsley Ibeh took place on the Teófimo López–Shakur Stevenson card. Miller secured a split-decision victory, with judges' scores recorded as 97-93, 97-93, and 94-96.
Following the announcement of the decision, Miller was observed rubbing the top of his head during his celebration.
Incident Details
In the second round, a series of punches from Ibeh caused Miller's head to move backward. This resulted in his hairpiece detaching from the front and briefly exposing his scalp.
Miller completed the remainder of the round with the hairpiece partially attached.
Between rounds, he removed it entirely in his corner and threw it into the crowd. Match officials did not halt the fight during this sequence.
The incident prompted reactions from the crowd, including gasps and laughter. DAZN commentator Chris Mannix remarked on the rarity of such an occurrence in boxing, and boxers Fabio Wardley and Skye Nicolson posted about the event on social media.
Post-Fight Statement
After the match, Miller stated that he had experienced significant hair loss days prior to the fight. He attributed this hair loss to a bottle of shampoo he found at his mother's residence, which he described as containing "ammonium bleach." Following this, he obtained a hairpiece.
Career Background
Jarrell Miller, 37, has a notable career history. He was previously scheduled to compete against then-heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua at Madison Square Garden in 2019. However, he was replaced by Andy Ruiz Jr. after failing multiple pre-fight drug tests.
Miller returned to boxing in 2022 after completing suspensions for anti-doping violations. His professional record includes a first career loss to Daniel Dubois in 2023 and a draw with Andy Ruiz in 2023.