Why Anthony Joshua is keen to avoid banana skin whe he faces Jarrel Miller

World heavyweight and British champion Anthony Joshua has studied Jarrell Miller more than any other boxer in order to avoid a “banana skin” when the pair meet at Madison Square Garden in June for the famed fight.

The Briton, 29, told BBC Radio 5 live he “can’t afford to make any mistakes” during the defence of his IBF, WBA and WBO titles against the American.

“He’s the first fighter where I know about what he says, operates and feels,” said Joshua.”I don’t want to slip up against him.”

When Miller was later told by the BBC of the extra attention paid towards him by Joshua, he said: “It doesn’t surprise me. Him and [WBC champion] Deontay Wilder did their best not to say my name because the minute they do the media start asking me questions.

“I just got my record up and do what I could. But then I got too tired of waiting so I started turning up at press conferences and talking some junk to get their attention.

“If it was left to them or [promoter] Eddie Hearn then the fight might not have happened any time soon. By me being a media force and telling them how I feel… I’m being real and funny – people gravitate towards that.”

Miller will almost certainly be the heaviest opponent Joshua has faced as a professional having weighed 22st 7lbs in his last contest.

Earlier on Monday, the pair faced off at the news conference in London, with Joshua claiming he would “reconstruct” Miller’s face in New York in what will be the Briton’s first fight in the United States.

Joshua was responding to the 30-year-old’s suggestion that he had benefitted from a privileged route to success.

“I got banned from the area I was growing up in because I was getting into too much trouble,” added Joshua.”The state of my hands this isn’t from boxing, this is from streetfighting. I’ve changed my whole lifestyle around.

“All this spirit this boy’s got and the rubbish he’s talking, I’m going to strip it from him. Look at his face – I’m going to reconstruct his face and body on 1 June and I’m looking forward to this challenge.

“I’m going to be a surgeon because I’m going to give him a makeover.”

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