Jarrell 'Big Baby' Miller defeats Lenier Pero in slugfest win in WBA title eliminator with Deontay Wilder lined up next
Jarrell Miller defeats Lenier Pero by unanimous decision in their WBA Heavyweight title eliminator in Las Vegas
Sunday 26 April 2026 09:21, UK
Jarrell Miller could face Deontay Wilder next after he defeated Lenier Pero in a unanimous points decision in a WBA title eliminator in Las Vegas.
Miller bounced back with victory over Cuban Olympian Pero in a slugfest with 'Big Baby' throwing over 1,000 punches with new trainer Bozy Ennis in his corner for the first time.
Miller (28-1-2, 22 KO) and promoter Eddie Hearn are lining up a fight with Derek Chisora's conqueror Wilder in New York.
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"For me, the American fight is Deontay Wilder against Jarrell Miller," said Hearn.
"Run it in New York. That's a serious fight. Deontay's come back with a good win against Chisora, I think that's a big fight for American boxing."
The win over Pero marks Miller's second straight victory in 2026 in what could possibly be his final chance to make a run at becoming a heavyweight world champion.
"I knew Pero was going be tough, and I had a feeling he was going move a lot more than that, to tell the truth," said Miller, who attributed his improved performance to a leaner fighting weight of 305lbs (138kg).
"I wasn't looking for the knockout. I just wanted to see what my conditioning was and get back to a lot of punches. And my team just said, 'if the knockout is going to come, it's going to come. And I felt really comfortable, and I really wanted the rounds.
"A couple of times I know I had him hurt but I'm like, 'you know what? Work, baby, just work. Don't look for it too much.' And he caught me with a couple of shots. But it was good, though, getting the rust off."
