Anthony Joshua’s promoters Matchroom will announce next week who the Briton’s new opponent for his IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight title defence in New York will be after ruling out Jarrell Miller.

The American’s participation in the June 1 fight was jeopardised on Tuesday when the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) informed both camps of an “adverse finding” in a drug-testing sample, leading to him being denied a licence for the date at Madison Square Garden.

Miller retained the right to request a further sample and to reapply for that licence to challenge Joshua in what will be the champion’s US debut. However, Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn now says he has learned of a second alleged doping violation by Miller, meaning that fight is now dead in the water.

It was on March 20 when there was an adverse finding for GW1516, a metabolic modulator also known as cardarine and endurobol.

Matchroom had already started the search for alternative opponents from the point of VADA’s first update, and Hearn wrote on social media on Friday: “We have now received news from VADA that Jarrell Miller has now failed a second separate test for a further substance.

“AJ’s June 1 opponent will be announced next week. If you don’t think you can beat him clean then delete my number!”

Anthony Joshua and Jarrell Miller File Photo
Anthony Joshua and Jarrell Miller and been due to face each other in June 1 in New York (John Walton/PA)

Matchroom had long planned to build Joshua’s profile in the US boxing market, to the extent that the fight location, which they remain committed to, and Brooklyn’s Miller had been selected specifically to maximise its appeal.

Responding to the initial adverse finding, Miller had written on Instagram on Thursday: “I have never knowingly taken any banned substance and when I found out the news I was totally shocked.

“My team and I stand for integrity, decency and honesty and together we will stand to fight this with everything we have.

“This was a voluntarily test that I was very happy to do and these results came just one week after another voluntarily test that I had taken which was completely clean.”

Jarrell Miller said on Thursday he has never knowingly taken any banned substance
Jarrell Miller said on Thursday he has never knowingly taken any banned substance (John Walton/PA)

Press Association Sport understands several opponents, including fellow American Michael Hunter, remain in contention to replace Miller.

Attempts were made to contact representatives of both Miller and VADA, but neither were available for comment.