Fast Results From Long Island: Miller, Jacobs, and Seldin Triumphant

Matchroom Boxing honcho Eddie Hearn made his first foray into the U.S. market on Saturday, Nov. 11. With an assist from local promoters Dmitry Salita and Joe DeGuardia, Hearn promoted a nine-fight card at the renovated Nassau County Coliseum in Uniondale, Long Island.

Three of those fights were part of the HBO telecast. Although it wasn’t the main event, the bout that generated the most buzz was a contest between jumbo-sized heavyweights Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller and Mariusz Wach. It was a major step up in class for Miller as Wach’s lone defeats in 35 starts came against defending heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko and former world heavyweight titlist Alexander Povetkin.

At the weigh-in, the six-foot-four Miller came in lighter than expected at 283 ½ and the 6-foot-7 Wach came in heavier than expected at 268.

“Wach is going to be just another guy that I crush,” said Big Baby before the bout. That proved to be an overstatement, but Miller (20-0-1, 18 KOs) was clearly in front when the inflatable slide bout was stopped in the ninth round with the ponderous 37-year-old Wach (33-3) stymied with a hand injury.

Miller’s performance likely enhanced his prospect at getting a shot at Anthony Joshua, the gem of Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom stable.

In the main go, Brooklyn’s Daniel Jacobs improved to 33-2 with a lopsided 12-round decision over Milwaukee’s previously undefeated Luis “Cuba” Arias. A flash knockdown in round 11 contributed to the wide disparity with Jacobs prevailing by scores of 120-107, 119-108, and 118-109. Although it won’t happen anytime soon, Jacobs appears to be on course for a rematch with Gennady Golovkin. His only other loss came way back in 2010 when he was stopped by Dmitry Pirog who was undefeated when he retired from the sport with a back injury.

In the opening bout of the telecast, undefeated junior welterweight Cletus “The Hebrew Hammer” Seldin (now 21-0, 17 KOs) stepped up in class and passed the test with flying colors, disposing of Mexico’s Roberto Ortiz (35-2-2) in the third round. Seldin, who is Jewish on his father’s side, put Ortiz on the deck with a big right hand within 30 seconds of the opening bell and knocked him down again before the round was over. The bout was stopped in the third frame on the advice of the ringside physician with Ortiz bleeding heavily from a cut above his left eye.

Seldin is a New Yorker, hailing from Long Island’s Suffolk County. When Miller and Jacobs won their respective bouts, it was a clean sweep for the New York contingent.

In an undercard bout of note, England’s fast rising Conor Benn (10-0, 8 KOs) made short work of Mexico’s Brandon Sanudo (7-7), eliminating him with a body punch in the second round.

Check back later for more detailed recaps of Saturday’s big show in Uniondale.

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