Kevin Salgado following the advice and path of his brother Juan

Boxer Kevin Salgado attempts to have a breakthrough performance against Bryant Perrella on Saturday, April 9, on Showtime at 10 p.m. ET.

Kevin Salgado is undefeated and hopes to make a statement in his U.S. debut on Saturday, April 9, against Bryant Perrella.

Salgado (14-0, 9 KOs) fights Perrella on the undercard of Erickson Lubin vs. Sebastian Fundora on Showtime, giving him a platform to shine.

Salgado moved his training camp to San Antonio from Mexico City to prepare for his U.S. coming-out party.

“I’ve basically been here for two months,” Salgado told FanSided through an interpreter. “The transition happened because I was actually going to fight on a different show.”

The opportunity to fight Perrella came about, and Salgado said he elected to go with the challenging opponent and Showtime spot.

Salgado also told FanSided that training in the U.S. cut down on everyday distractions present when training at home. He understands that this is a chance to introduce himself to a U.S. audience.

“My goal is to be a star, without a doubt,” Salgado said. “My brother tells me I have all the tools to be a world star because of my style and to become a champion.”

Salgado’s brother’s opinion carries extra weight. His brother is former WBA and IBF super featherweight champion Juan Salgado.

Watch Kevin Salgado vs. Bryant Perrella on April 9 on Showtime at 10 p.m. ET

Juan is 13 years older than Salgado, but the two are very close despite the age gap. Salgado receives an abundance of advice from Juan, who was his hero growing up.

“When I grew up fighting, there was no need to look at any other fighter,” Salgado said. “I slept under the same roof as a world champion with a fighter in Mexico who put people in the arena and defended a title.”

“That was my idol,” Salgado added.

Childhood idols can be a powerful influence. It’s probably more impactful when the icon you revere is your sibling.

Salgado didn’t enter boxing until his mid-teens, but he showed talent reminiscent of his brother. His amateur career was brief but successful. Salgado was a Mexican national champion who fought high-caliber opposition.

Still, Perrella (17-3-1, 14 KOs) is a step up for Salgado. Perrella fought former WBC welterweight champion, Tony Harrison, to a draw in April 2021.

At 6-foot-1, Perrella has a 2-inch height advantage over Salgado. Perrella is also a southpaw.

Orthodox fighters like Salgado can struggle with southpaws, but Salgado believes his experience gives him an edge over Perrella.

“When I won the national championship as an amateur and the Olympics, out of my six victories, five of them were southpaws at the elite level,” Salgado said. “As a pro, I’ve fought three.”

Several of Salgado’s compatriots have made waves in recent times. For example, Mauricio Lara went from unknown to somebody after shockingly knocking out current IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington.

Salgado believes he can achieve the same status as Lara but thinks he’s built differently.

“The difference is that I want to be better and more well known than all the other guys,” Salgado said.

Salgado gets his chance against Perrella on Showtime.