I’ll ‘reconstruct your face and body’, Anthony Joshua tells Miller

Anthony Joshua promised to ‘reconstruct the face and body’ of Jarrell Miller as the heavyweight rivals enjoyed another foul-mouthed, fiery press conference yesterday.

The two fighters meet at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 1, with AJ putting his IBF, WBA and WBO titles on the line on his US debut.

Following their press conference Stateside last week, when Miller lit the blue touch paper by shoving AJ, the heavyweight rivals came face to face again in London.

‘There’s not much I can do to that face… but I’m going to reconstruct his face and I’m looking forward to the challenge,’ an angry Joshua said.

‘This is all I know. This is all I do. I know how to knock people out and beat them up. All that spirit this boy has got over there, talking s***, I’m going to strip it from him. Every ounce of spirit he has got, that is what I do to people. I’m going to strip him of his soul in that ring.

‘Look at his face, I am going to reconstruct his face on June 1. I do the job, I am a good boxer, heavy-handed puncher and have beaten better opponents than anyone else out there.

‘Landlord in the States, I am going to be your surgeon in the UK. You are going to have a makeover.’
Miller was unfazed, mocking his rival by pretending to fall asleep during AJ’s speech and vowing: ‘The gameplan is to stop his behind in seven rounds’.

He continued: ‘I am ready for anything, the fans cant fight for him. This is what I’ve been doing, where I came from.

‘He comes to New York, we’ve got to fight. He’s a sucker, I can freestyle right now. He can’t beat me no matter what he does. I’m a handsome brother, I know what I can do. All the cows he’s been eating, this beef right here he should get ready for.’

There was no pushing and shoving this time around, but the tension remained ahead of their clash in New York on June 1.

The pair went chest to chest for the cameras once more, with security pulling the two fighters apart before tensions could boil over.
Earlier Miller tried to goad his opponent by claiming: ‘I’ve been hearing AJ’s too posh, his nose is up here sometimes. For all the underdogs out there who are told they’re not good enough; I’m proof that with one or two cheeseburgers and hard work and dedication you can go far.’
Joshua, meanwhile, once again hit back at claims that he has had opportunities put on a plate for him during his career.

‘I got banned from the area I was growing up in because I was getting into too much trouble,’ he said.

‘The state of my hands – this isn’t from boxing, this is from street fighting. I’ve changed my whole lifestyle around.
There was more cordiality between the fighters’ respective teams, with AJ’s trainer Rob McCracken insisting his fighter would need to adjust to deal with Miller.

‘(He’s a) great challenger, great fight this will be, but Anthony will be ready and he will deliver,’ McCracken said.

‘(Miller) is good – he can box and fight but Anthony will adjust.’