Monroe's Derick Miller stays unbeaten with early knockout

DETROIT – Todd Riggs never saw the punch.

Neither did anyone else in the corner.

They were busy preparing to talk to their fighter between rounds when Monroe’s Derick Miller landed a massive blow that staggered his opponent.

“We were laughing in the corner because none of us even saw it,” said Riggs, one of Riggs’ trainers from Joe’s-ALCC Boxing Club. “We told him, ‘We’ll have to go back and watch it on film.’”

Many of the standing-room only crowd at the Motor City Casino in Detroit last week thought the fight was over when Miller sent Brian Houston to the canvas with a right cross right before the bell to end the opening round.

Houston managed to get to his feet before the standing eight count expired, but he was boxer from Omaha, Neb., was clearly unsteady.

“He was still staggering, but they let him go on,” Riggs said. “He was literally saved by the bell.”

Houston wasn’t saved for long.

More: Wins by pros Miller, Niziolek highlight night of boxing in Monroe

Miller continued his relentless attack in the second round and ended the fight at the 2:16 mark.

One of the fastest of Miller’s nine knockouts pushed his record to 17-0 as a pro and gave him the American Boxing Federation Atlantic Cruiserweight (176-199 pounds) championship.

Houston was an older and more experienced fighter than the 33-year-old Miller, but was outmatched in the ring.

“I was just lot smarter than him in what to do as far boxing,” Miller said. “I knew pressure would break his focus.”

“It was a good fight for Derick, a good win,” Riggs added.

Miller was in familiar surroundings. Many of his pro fights have been at Motor City.

“I believe it’s the best boxing venue in Michigan right now,” he said. “It’s nice. … They have about 2,700 seats, then they sell standing-room.”

Many of the fans there made the journey from Monroe to watch Miller fight.

“We probably had at least 200 from Monroe there,” Miller said. “That makes me feel good. It was like a reunion. A lot of the people had not seen each other for a long time.”

Neither Miller nor Riggs know what is next for the fighter, but they want it to happen quickly.

“I hope it happens in the next three months,” Miller said. “I’m ready. Just give me 60 days.”

Riggs has been in the fight game long enough to know that matches sometimes can take time to arrange, but believes Miller’s 17-0 shows that he is ready for the next step.

“it’s about time for him to get a shot at a big title,” the trainer said. “I just told Derick to be ready. They’ll probably give him a call when it’s not expected. If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.”

Miller, who goes by the name of D-Milz in the ring, got a little bit of a late start in boxing. He made is professional debut in 2019 at the age of 28.

He always has been active in sports. He played football and served of captain of the basketball team at Monroe High and went 51-10 in amateur boxing bouts.

But his boxing career has been interrupted at times by real life.

“It’s been tough for Derick trying to raise a family and box,” Riggs said. “That’s not an easy road.”

Miller and his fiancée Kasarah have a 9-year-old son Derick Miller III.

“Sometimes I have to get back to the work that really pays,” said Miller, who works as a carpenter for Mid-American Group, a construction company based in Newport. His boss, Keith Masserant, is one of his boxing sponsors.

Riggs hopes to soon find a manager for Miller – someone who could alleviate some of the stresses.

“I am ready to fight every two months, whatever it takes to get where I need to be,” Miller said. “The main guys fight every six months to a year. When you are coming up from the bottom like me, it’s usually every three months.”

Miller also is helping to train some of the young fighters at Joe’s-ALCC.

“When I walk in, they all call me ‘Champ,”” Miller said. “I am training in the same program I came out of. We’re an amateur and pro gym now.”

He hopes to bring more titles to Monroe.

“I would say I am optimistic over the journey and how it will pan out,” he said.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Monroe's Derick Miller stays unbeaten with early knockout