Boxing betting tips: Preview and best bets for DAZN action featuring Jarrell Miller vs Lenier Pero

Boxing betting tips: Saturday April 25

2pts Jarrell Miller to win by decision at 6/4 (Ladbrokes, Coral)

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This weekend’s big show in Paris was called off earlier in the week, but we still have some heavyweight action to enjoy.

Lawrence Okolie’s bout with Tony Yoka in France fell off when the former failed a drugs test, so the focus switches to JARRELL MILLER versus Lenier Pero in Las Vegas on Saturday night, live on DAZN.

Sticking with the failed drugs test theme, Miller has ‘popped hot’ on more than one occasion in his career and is best known for testing positive for three different PEDs prior to his scheduled bout with Anthony Joshua in 2019.

Now 37, he gets an unlikely route back into title contention as his fight with Pero has been made a final eliminator by the WBA.

Miller (27-1-2, 22 KOs) is the favourite, but not by much, with 8/11 available about the American while Pero (13-0, 8 KOs) is a top price of 27/20.

For all his misdemeanours out of the ring, Miller still only has one loss to his name and that came in December 2023 at the hands of Daniel Dubois, who went on to spark out Joshua and remains one of the leading heavyweights in the world.

Miller was very unlucky not to get the nod against former champion Andy Ruiz on his sole outing in 2024, and he returned with a split decision victory over Kingsley Ibeh in January this year.

The latter was a hard-fought contest and Miller’s pressure was just enough to get the decision in the end, but his performance wasn’t the main point of discussion that night. Instead, everyone was talking about how Miller’s hair piece was punched off his head in the second round and he then tossed it into the crowd.

He’s now better known than ever after that hair-raising moment went viral and looks to capitalise by setting up a title shot this weekend, but Pero will provide a stern test.

The Cuban represented his country at the 2016 Olympics and was a very good amateur, while he is unbeaten as a professional after relocating to Miami.

From a technical point of view, Pero is the better boxer here and he will look to fire off sharp counters from the southpaw stance. He also goes to the body and slips shots fairly well.

The main concern for Pero is whether he can keep his opponent off and deter his advances, as Miller is a huge unit who constantly marches forwards.

They are both around 6’4” but Miller usually tips the scales at over 300lbs and will outweigh his man by some margin. The favourite may not be quite as relentless as he was prior to his latest failed drugs test, but he still applies constant pressure and trying to keep such a huge man off can be very draining for his opponents.

Let’s not forget that he pushed Dubois hard before being stopped in the final seconds of their 10-rounder and should he have deservedly got the decision against Ruiz, then it would be by far the best win of either man here.

That leads me on to another worry for Pero and that is the level of opposition he has faced so far. He may have mixed with top company in the amateurs, but he hasn’t fought anyone of note in the paid ranks, and this will be his toughest test to date by some way.

Pero’s opening 12 wins came against very moderate opposition and his first real test arrived last time out against Jordan Thompson, a former cruiserweight who was making his debut as a heavyweight. Pero had to work very hard for that decision victory and Thompson certainly had his moments.

This is also Pero’s first scheduled 12-rounder, and we know Miller can do the championship distance well, despite his physical appearance.

Pero can certainly have success here as he has the quicker hands and is well-schooled, while Miller isn’t the hardest to hit. The Cuban’s route to victory appears to be outboxing his bigger opponent and using his speed to claim a decision, which can be backed at 12/5.

However, Miller takes a very good shot, and he will keep ploughing forward all night long. While there is nothing flashy about his style, he is an imposing figure who makes his opponents work hard and likes to apply his roughhouse tactics on the inside.

I think that, along with his superior experience, can be enough for him to get the victory against Pero, who is yet to fully convince as a professional.

You can get 4/1 for Miller to win inside the distance but he hasn’t recorded a stoppage win in over three years and a points victory looks much more likely for him at 6/4.

It won’t be pretty, but Miller’s pressure could be too much for Pero and the former can bully his way to another victory on the scorecards.

Posted at 12:50 BST on 25/04/25

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Both of these like to go for the knockout and they carry power, but I expect Marshall to have too much on her return to boxing and the 4/1 about her getting a stoppage looks too big to me.