Could Dainier Pero become Cuba’s first heavyweight champion?

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Cuban heavyweight Dainier Pero is being hailed as the next big thing in the division, according to his trainer, Bob Santos.

Pero, who recently stopped James Evans in five rounds on July 26 in Orlando, stepped in on late notice after original opponent Gurgen Hovhannisyan was injured.

Santos, a veteran of the sport with decades of experience, envisions a bright future for Pero (8-0, 6 KOs).

“I keep telling everybody, he's a bigger version of [Oleksandr] Usyk,” Santos said. “I’m not saying he’s Usyk or that he’s accomplished what Usyk has, but in terms of foot speed, hand speed, he can do virtually everything Usyk can do – just 30 pounds bigger and only 24 years old. He has that type of ability.”

However, Santos acknowledges that Pero’s success will require more than just natural talent. Plenty of brilliant young boxing talents have been sidetracked and failed to develop into stars.

“At the end of the day, it’s going to come down to how he chooses to live his lifestyle outside the ring,” Santos said. “As the money comes in, how much desire and hunger does he have? I talk with him all the time. The sky’s the limit for you, but you’ve got to stay hungry. You’ve got to stay consistent.”

Santos believes Pero has the potential to become the first Cuban heavyweight champion in the history of the sport. The talent, he says, is in place. The rest will reveal itself in time.

“When you look at Pero, who I believe was the youngest heavyweight ever to make the Olympic team in Cuba, the guy’s got a certain skill set. But what it is going to come down to is heart, desire and want. If that’s there, look out.”

Pero’s victory over the 32-year-old Evans (7-2-1, 7 KOs) marked a significant step forward, but Santos recognizes the challenges in securing bigger fights. As a prospect, Pero may need to quickly transition into becoming a contender due to the difficulty in finding suitable opposition.

“We’re in a catch-22,” Santos said. “At one point, we had 17 opponents turn us down, even after offering career-high paydays. So we’re just going to have to take the opportunities as they present themselves.”

Santos is realistic about the high expectations set for Pero.

“I think we have a special talent on our hands, and we’ll see how it plays out,” Santos said. “When you mention names like Usyk, it’s a risky comparison. The chances of living up to that label are slim. But when I see Pero and the way he moves – fast feet, fast hands, moving more like a light heavyweight – that’s what I see in him.

“If Pero can stay the course, keep that kind of hunger and desire, we might just have the first Cuban heavyweight champion in history on our hands.”

Lucas Ketelle is a proud member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and author of “Inside The Ropes of Boxing” (available on Amazon). Contact him on X @LukieBoxing.

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