Joshua to fight in US for first time

ANTHONY Joshua will fight in the US for the first time when he defends his IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles against Jarrell Miller at Madison Square Garden on June 1, his promoter announced on Wednesday.

After abandoning plans to fight again at Wembley on April 13, he will instead attempt to muscle in on the US market in which rivals Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder have become increasingly influential.

The 29-year-old last fought in September at Wembley, stopping Russia’s Alexander Povetkin in seven rounds.

“It has been an honour and a blessing to fight at some of the best venues in the world at home in the UK, not least Wembley Stadium, but the time has come to head across the Atlantic and defend my heavyweight titles in the USA,” said Joshua.

“I am looking forward to taking on another challenge with a good boxer and a brilliant talker.”

Miller, 30, said Joshua was making a “huge mistake” in coming to fight in the US.

“He wants to announce himself on the American stage but all he’s doing is delivering me those belts by hand,” he added.