MVPW-05: Dainier Pero Batters Aleem Whitfield, Keeps Belt
Dainier Pero won gold at the 2016 AIBA Youth World Championships and 2019 Pan-American Games, along with two Cuban national titles. Pero, a member of the Cuban Olympic boxing team in 2020, is 13-0 as a pro, with 10 wins coming by knockout, and he is the current WBA Continental USA Heavyweight champion. Pero comes into this bout off second-round stoppage victories over Mario Aguilar Lopez and Donald Haynesworth.
Aleem Whitfield went 12-4 as an amateur, a run that included coming in second at the 2008 National Golden Gloves and becoming a semi-finalist at the 2008 USA National Championships (where he lost to a young Shawn Porter). Whitfield, a 10-1 fighter, took a decade-long hiatus from the sport, returning in late 2024. He most recently fought in April, scoring a decision over Julian Gomez.
Who will walk out of this bout with the WBA gold?
Embed Tweet:
PERO v. WHITFIELD… IT’S ON!
— MVP – Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) August 9, 2026
———#MVPW05 | Prelims are LIVE NOW on ESPN+ | Main Card 10PM EST | ESPN 🇺🇸 | Sky Sports 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/D2uK7guIdo
ROUND 1
Body shot by Pero. And another. One more. Pero towers over Whitfield. Another Pero body shot. Whitfield fires one to the body. Another from Pero. And again. Pero lands a couple of shots. Pero lands on the body again. Pero backing Whitfield up. Pero misses a right hook. Left hand by Pero.
Pero misses a left. He lands another though! And another solid shot! Whitfield seems to be feeling the power now. Both fire off a left. Right hand to the body by Pero. Whitfield comes forward. Pero lands some power upstairs. Pero misses a right hook. Pero lands another right. Solid left hand by Pero. A couple of right hands by Pero.Pero with a couple of more shots before the bell.
ROUND 2
A couple of right hands again from Pero to start. Right hand by Pero. Whitfield coming forward. Pero with another right. Pero with a couple of more body shots. Whitfield moving back, as Pero continues to target the body. Left hand to the body, right hand upstairs for Pero. Right hand by Pero. A couple more solid right hands by Pero.
Pero backs Whitfield up again. Combination from Pero. Body shot by Pero. Right hand by Pero. Three-punch combination by Pero. Whitfield is cornered. Whitfield presses forward with a left hand, rushing like a bull. Pero lands a left. A couple of more right hands by Pero. Pero landing on the chin. One-two by Pero.
ROUND 3
Right hand by Pero. Whitfield misses a wild right hand. Whitifeld with a right to the body. Pero landing with the right hand multiple times. Pero continues to tag the body, and Whitfield is just not giving much response offensively. Pero corners Whitfield again and lands at will.
Right hand by Pero. Whitfield is feeling it. Another solid body shot from Pero. Pero continues to tag Whitfield. Pero lands a left. Whitfield with a one-two, but Pero is overwhelming him. Right hand by Pero. Left hand by Pero. And the ref finally steps in and waves this off!
Dainier Pero retains his belt in dominant fashion!
Embed Tweet:
DAINIER PERO POST-FIGHT INTERVIEW!
— MVP – Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) August 9, 2026
———#MVPW05 | Prelims are LIVE NOW on ESPN+ | Main Card 10PM EST | ESPN 🇺🇸 | Sky Sports 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/EQwvtwNLY2
OFFICIAL RESULT
Dainier Pero def. Aleem Whitfield via third-round TKO (2:20)
