The WBA heavyweight eliminator that took place last night at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Las Vegas, promoted by Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn, failed to deliver much excitement. American Jarrell Miller cruised to a clear points victory after a rather monotonous contest, making the most of his advantages in power and work rate against Cuban Lenier Pero. The final scorecards, all in favor of “Big Baby,” read: 115–113, 117–111, 117–111.
The refined Cuban boxing school, represented on this occasion by Camagüey southpaw Lenier Pero, was only on display for the first two rounds. In the opening six minutes, the Caribbean fighter showed a sharp repertoire, moved well on his feet, and landed frequently, mixing shots to the body and head.
However, as soon as Miller’s pressure increased, Pero’s flair faded. The first warning signs appeared as early as the third round, which the Cuban spent almost entirely with his back against the ropes, ending with a strong late surge from Miller.
Pero’s puzzling decision to abandon his footwork and fight almost flat-footed proved to be a decisive mistake. Spending most of the fight in close range, the Cuban paid heavily for his lack of explosiveness and pace, eventually being overwhelmed by his opponent’s pressure.
Despite attacking with far-from-polished technique, Miller quickly realized he could afford a straightforward, aggressive strategy—and it paid off. The difference in punching impact was clear: Miller’s shots forced his opponent backward into a tight shell, while Pero’s blows were shrugged off with a smile by an increasingly confident American.
Round after round followed a similar pattern, with “Big Baby” pinning his opponent against the ropes or in the corners for long stretches.
What was particularly striking was Pero’s complete lack of a Plan B. The Cuban showed toughness and determination, gritting his teeth and staying in the fight, but never changed tactics, continuing to be smothered by his opponent’s massive frame while offering only sporadic and ineffective responses.
Only in the eleventh round, after falling significantly behind on the scorecards, did Pero show signs of a comeback, taking advantage of a temporary slowdown from Miller, likely in need of a breather. The Cuban finally managed to reverse the momentum, pressing forward and landing punches, although some of his uppercuts strayed below the belt.
In the final three minutes, both fighters emptied the tank, with Miller finishing stronger and sealing a fully deserved victory. In my view, the scorecards of David Sutherland and Steve Weisfield—both showing a six-point margin—were accurate. Tim Cheatman’s card, which gave Pero five rounds, was extremely generous.
With this win, Miller—displaying both his well-known strengths and flaws—will make a significant leap in the WBA rankings, overtaking Pero’s second position. However, securing a title shot does not seem to be the American’s top priority, as he called for a fight against fellow countryman Deontay Wilder in his post-fight interview.
This desire was also echoed by promoter Eddie Hearn, who suggested that, if an agreement is reached between the teams, the fight could be added to the June 27 card in Brooklyn, on the undercard of Xander Zayas vs Jaron Ennis.