Rolando Romero: Father’s Cuba escape, lost love and Mayweather impact

Boxer Rolando Romero is making a name for himself because of his talent, but the story behind the young man is one of the most fascinating in boxing. 

Lightweight boxing rising star Rolando Romero is garnering a lot of attention because of his devastating punching power, but it’s nothing compared to the magnitude of his compelling backstory.

To process the weight of Romero’s life experiences, you would need a full biography. This article only skims the surface.

Romero grew up in North Las Vegas and has amassed a flawless professional record of 11-0 with 10 knockouts, but this wouldn’t be possible without the previous heroics of his father.

Rolando Romero Sr. was born and raised in Cuba and took part in its storied boxing history. Despite the country’s high poverty rate, they’ve excelled in the world of amateur boxing. Romero Sr. won three national titles and had an elite skill-set.

Even with his success as an amateur, Romero Sr. could never turn pro due to government regulations, which is why many Cuban boxers and other top-notch athletes have defected. Their attempts to leave Cuba are filled with danger.

Romero Sr.’s first attempt at fleeing Cuba resulted in incarceration and torture.

“My dad tried to escape originally when he was 27,” relayed the younger Romero to FanSided. “They arrested him and put him in prison for two years. They fed him nothing but a spoonful of rice, and at night, a cup of sugar water. They fed him that for a month straight, and he was there for two years.”

The cruelty Romero Sr. experienced in those two years only strengthened his resolve to leave the fascist regime. He braved closely guarded waters and a high risk of death to gain his freedom.

“He swam across the bay where Guantanamo Bay is,” Romero told FanSided. “If they catch you in the water, they shoot you on sight. My dad swam overnight with his friend, and his friend drowned. My dad made it to Guantanamo Bay. He was there for three weeks. They flew him to Miami, and he met up with his brother.”

Rolando Sr. made it to the U.S. at the age of 30. Two years later, Rolando Jr. was born.

Romero, a.k.a. “Rolly,” or “Rollies” if you are a close friend, didn’t come to boxing naturally. Judo was his first athletic passion. Many of the stories written about Romero give differing origins of his inspiration to box.

Rolando Romero is grateful for all Floyd Mayweather Jr. has done for him in and out of the ring.

Romero’s biography on the PBC website credits Romero’s viewing of the 2012 Olympics combined with a trip to Cuba as his primary motivators for embarking on his boxing journey. They’re a part of the puzzle, but weren’t necessarily the driving force behind his boxing endeavors.

Like with many young men, Romero’s desire for achievement centered around the love of a woman, and it’s a bit complicated.

Romero’s amateur boxing career was short, but he experienced some early success at the age of 18. Romero liked boxing but wanted to become something big, hoping that it would help his chances of winning back the love of a former girlfriend.

“There was this girl. I had f**ked things up with her in the past,” revealed Romero. “Before all that, I didn’t care for it [boxing] as much. I kept telling her I was gonna go to the Olympics. I was going to be a world champ, yada, yada, yada. I’m gonna take care of her and her whole family and all that. Eventually, I never ended up winning her back.

“During that time, I put so much effort into boxing and training. There was no going back. I fell in love with boxing. Boxing is all I had. Boxing, at the end of it, is all I’m ever gonna have. Boxing is what gives me life. I want to create a legacy while I’m in this sport and become multi-division world champ.”

While failing to win back the love of another, Romero found a new love in boxing. He has fully invested himself in the sport ever since.

Romero didn’t make the U.S. Olympic team, but impressive sparring performances in the Mayweather Boxing Club earned him a promotional contract with Mayweather Promotions. According to the promotion’s website, Mayweather himself offered Romero a contract in 2016.

In a perfect world, a deal with a major promoter and eye-catching victories would be all that’s needed for happiness, but life is complex and flawed. Even though Romero accomplished many of his goals, he found himself in a dark place in 2017.

“Floyd had actually saved my life in 2017,” said Romero. “It’s not the right time for me to really go into it. It’s just one thing he did that changed my life completely.”

Whatever Romero was dealing with at the time, the memory is still raw and painful. He’s not ready to open up on that period of his life but credits Mayweather with saving his life. Romero fights Jackson Marinez (19-0, 7 KOs) on Saturday, Aug. 15, for the WBA interim lightweight title. If he wins his first title, Romero would like to have an in-depth conversation with Mayweather about how his words saved him.

“After I win this belt, I want to talk to him about it,” said Romero. “I’ve never talked to him about it. I don’t think he even knows where I was at that point. Floyd saved my life right there. It’s crazy. Something very little can make a big difference in somebody’s life. It can be anything. That’s the reason I have so much respect for Floyd.”

Romero has experienced a lot of highs and lows throughout his 24 years of life. His father endured unimaginable pain to give his family a chance at following their dreams. Romero’s love for boxing is stoking his effort as he continues to fight for his aspirations and happiness.

Rolando Romero and Jackson Marinez fight on Saturday, Aug. 15, for the WBA interim lightweight title, on Showtime, at 9 p.m. ET.