Heavyweight boxer Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller went viral on January 31, 2026, after a punch from Kingsley Ibeh knocked his hairpiece off during a fight at Madison Square Garden.
Miller, a longtime heavyweight contender, was making his return to Madison Square Garden after a lengthy absence. The bout marked his first appearance at the venue since a planned 2019 title fight with Anthony Joshua was canceled following failed drug tests. Saturday night’s fight was positioned as a reset moment for Miller’s career, though it took an unexpected turn.
Midway through Round 2, a right uppercut from Ibeh caused Miller’s hairpiece to lift and flap loose, revealing a bald spot. Miller finished the round with the piece partially attached before removing it entirely and throwing it into the crowd as the bell sounded.
Boxer has hairpiece punched off mid fight
The hairpiece quickly became a ringside attraction. WBO heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley retrieved it and posted a video of the item resting on a chair with the caption, “Don’t worry, I’ll keep it safe.” WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman and boxer Skye Nicolson were also seen posing with the souvenir.
After the fight, Miller addressed the situation directly. He claimed he lost his natural hair just two days earlier after accidentally using ammonia bleach instead of shampoo while staying at his mother’s house, forcing him to secure a last-minute hairpiece before the bout.
“I’m a comedian. You have to make fun of yourself,” Miller said in his post-fight interview, adding that Ibeh “knocked that sh*t off.”
Despite the distraction, Miller earned a split-decision victory, with scorecards reading 97-93 twice in his favor and 96-94 for Ibeh. The win snapped a 17-month hiatus and moved Miller’s professional record to 27-1-2, while ending Ibeh’s 11-fight winning streak.
Miller later leaned into the moment on social media, posting an AI-generated video of himself riding in a convertible with his hair flying off, turning one of boxing’s strangest viral moments into a punchline.
