Jarrell Miller beat Lenier Pero by unanimous decision on Saturday night at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, taking a WBA heavyweight title eliminator on scores of 117-111, 117-111 and 115-113. The fight was the main event of a heavyweight card in Las Vegas and was expected to feature ring walks at about 10:30 p.m. ET after the card began at 8 p.m. ET on DAZN.
Miller, 27-1-2 with 22 knockouts, kept his comeback rolling with a victory that puts him back in the heavyweight conversation. Pero, who entered 13-0 with 8 knockouts and held the WBA’s No. 2 ranking, came in fresh off a win over Jordan Thompson in Orlando in November 2025, but could not turn that momentum into a breakout night against the heavier, more experienced opponent.
The win also marked Miller’s return to work with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing for the first time since a trio of failed drug tests derailed a 2019 title shot against Anthony Joshua. Since then, Miller has tried to rebuild through a difficult run that included a loss to Daniel Dubois in December 2023, a draw with Andy Ruiz in August 2024 and a split-decision win over Kingsley Ibeh in January 2026.
That January fight came with an odd scene of its own, when Miller’s toupee was lifted off his head in Round 3 after a series of punches landed cleanly. This time, there was no such distraction. Miller stayed in control long enough to leave with a clear scorecards win and another step toward a bigger heavyweight fight.
For Pero, the defeat ends an unbeaten run and likely pushes him back into the queue at heavyweight. For Miller, the result gives him exactly what he needed: a convincing win on a televised card, a title-eliminator victory and a chance to make noise again in a division that rarely waits for anyone.
