Lenier Pero stays focused on chance of a lifetime: ‘I’m ready to take it’

Lenier Pero must beat Jarrell Miller to land the chance of a lifetime: a world title shot.

The two heavyweights will compete in the main event on Saturday at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas. The bout will be contested for the WBA heavyweight title eliminator.

Pero, 13-0 (8 KOs), is a fight away from achieving his dream. A 33-year-old Cuban who trained for the fight in Las Vegas, Pero has mostly flown under the radar to this point in his career. Now it’s his opportunity to earn a new level of attention with a main event bout.

“A win here gets me the world title shot I’ve been dreaming about since I was a kid,” Pero told BoxingScene via translator. “My dream of becoming a world champion is so close, I’m going to leave it all in the ring.”

Miller, 27-1-2 (22 KOs), has had a wild recent run of fights. In 2024, he was stopped by Daniel Dubois, then followed that up with a draw against Andy Ruiz Jnr. In January, Miller, of North Bellmore, New York, won a split decision over Kinglsey Ibeh. The 37-year-old Miller was noticed less for his performance and more for his wig coming off mid-fight.

“Jarrell Miller is a tough guy – he brings pressure, he throws a lot of punches, that’s what stands out to me,” Pero said. “The other stuff, that’s just noise. I focus on what he does in the ring. I see his strengths, but I also see openings.”

Pero spent his five-week training for Miller by sparring the likes of Jared Anderson in preparation. A bout with Miller had been speculated on in the past, but for Pero, it was never about matching up with a certain name. He was solely focused on putting himself in position to cement himself as a main-card fighter and to contend for a title.

“In the heavyweight division, you always know certain fights can happen at any time,” Pero said. “Fighters get hurt, fights fall out. It’s boxing. I’ve been ready for opportunities like this, and I’m going to take advantage. Whether it was offered before or not doesn’t matter; what matters is that it’s here now, and I’m ready to take it.”

Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.