It’s been a whirlwind of inductions for Columbus’ own martial arts legend Oliver “Big O” Miller, who was enshrined in the Lowndes County Sports Hall of Fame earlier this year. Now, the 2008 Mississippi Black Belt Hall of Fame inductee is getting honored once more – this time for his contributions to combat sports in a neighboring state.
Miller, the 1993 World Kickboxing Champion and owner and instructor at Miller’s Tae-Kwon-Do, is set to be inducted today into the Alabama Boxing Hall of Fame in Tuscaloosa as a part of the manager/trainer/promoter category.
Miller’s wife Lucy recalled the conversation they had when they found out the news of his induction and it was one overwhelmed by joy.
“He was so excited,” Lucy told The Dispatch as she remembered their conversation. “He said, ‘Not only does Mississippi recognize (me) … but for our own Lowndes County and the state of Alabama to recognize me, that’s double honors.’”
In his own words, Miller said, “It’s real cool.”
“It expands into another state and that’s just really a good thing,” he told The Dispatch.
Along with his prowess in kickboxing and karate, Miller had a strong boxing career as well and won the Mississippi Golden Gloves competition in 1979. He fought in the light-heavyweight division and finished his career with 25 wins, but Miller’s ties to the Yellowhammer State are not as a fighter, but as a trainer and a contributor to the sport. Along with mentoring some of Alabama’s boxers, he also provided a pathway for Alabama fighters to participate in sanctioned events while the state hammered out its own fighting commission.
The Alabama Athletic Commission, which licences, organizes and oversees all professional boxing, professional and amateur mixed martial arts and professional wrestling within the state of Alabama, was established by the Alabama Legislature in 2009 – but in the years before, Miller invited the fighters to come to Columbus and perform at many of his events that he helped promote.
“For many years we borrowed commissioners that would cross state lines to regulate and sanction shows here in Alabama. Then the Association of Boxing Commissions ruled we couldn’t do that any more due to liability,” said Jay Deas, the owner and promoter of Skyy Boxing Promotion, in a release by the Alabama Boxing Hall of Fame. “Oliver invited us to set up shop 60 short miles away in Columbus. Our crowds traveled. His crowd showed up as always. “Big O” was the stopgap until we got our own commission. We were dead in the water, and Oliver rescued us.”
Kenneth Miller, one of Miller’s sons, said it’s amazing to see his dad honored across state lines.
“It’s a sense of joy and accomplishment and happiness for him to see the other states and organizations share their love and appreciation for him, and just show their love,” Kenneth said.
Along with all his inductions, Miller has received the Who’s Who Recognition in Mississippi Award in 2004, the Life Achievement Award by Mid-South Martial Arts in 2006 and the BKPTV Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.
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