Colorado Carnivore Cracks Top 20 in ‘Major League Eating’ World Rankings
Move over, Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kabayashi, there's a carnivore from Colorado gunning for the Mustard Belt.
Tuesday, competitive eaters from all over the world will vie for the coveted belt at the annual 4th of July Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, including an upstart challenger from the Front Range.
Colorado native Josh Miller is currently ranked 18th in the world by Major League Eating, which sanctions the annual event. He was ranked 21st last year.
Miller burst on the scene in 2015, devouring 40 twinkies to claim fifth place in the World Twinkie Eating Championship. He then consumed 42 tamales to place sixth in the Western Days Festival World Tamale Eating Championship.
Miller is hoping to dethrone the 9-time Mustard Belt holder Joey Chestnut, who reclaimed the title last year. Chestnut, widely regarded as the greatest competitive eater of all time, holds the record for consuming 72 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. He also holds records for eating hard boiled eggs, bratwurst, matzoh balls, steak, ribs, shrimp and deep fried asparagus.
It won't be the first time Miller and Chestnut have competed against each other. Miller ate 92 hot wings to finish fifth in the 2015 Native Grill and Wings World Wing Eating Championship. Meanwhile, Chestnut came in second place, devouring 121 wings.
The 2017 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest will be televised on ESPN, with coverage beginning at 1 p.m.