Kansas super middleweight Marco “El Tiburón” Romero’s (4-0, 3 KOs) recent victory in Portland, Maine, capped a twelve-month stretch in which he was 13-0 overall in the ring, combining nine amateur matches and four pro bouts. A promotional free agent, Romero destroyed Orlando “El Marro” Salgado (3-6), blasting his way to a knockout win via left hook to the body at the 1:21 mark of the opening round on a November 9th card promoted by Bobby Russo’s Portland Boxing Club at Exposition Building. “I’ve always had that power, especially that left hook to the body,” Romero commented. “I knew it was over when I hit him with that body shot and he grunted. I’ve worked a lot on that left hook to the head and body."
Because he hadn’t reached the mandatory age of 18, and his weight class (super middleweight) wasn’t included in 2024 Olympic boxing, Romero never seriously considered waiting for a shot at making the U.S. Olympic Team. Instead, his eyes were firmly focused on only one prize: to become a professional fighter.
Last December, Romero captured back-to-back champion honors at USA Boxing National Championships and 2024 National Golden Gloves Tournament. He was named Most Outstanding Boxer (Golden Boy Award) at the latter competition. All told, in the last twelve months, he was 9-0 in amateur competition, including three at The Nationals and five at The Golden Gloves, in addition to his four pro wins to date for a combined 13-0 record, which includes four as a pro and eight in elite national amateur competition (and a win in one non-national event).
His twelve-month long, prearranged schedule called for a break from fighting during the holidays and he’s gearing up for Thanksgiving, Christmas and a hoped-for life-changing 2025. He is tentatively scheduled to return to the ring during the first quarter of next year. “Hey, we’re Mexicans. and we love food,” Romero remarked. “I’m going to enjoy the holidays with my family, but I’ll continue working hard to get better, even during the holidays.”
In Romero’s corner is a legendary 77-year-old John Brown, who is Marco’s head trainer and manager, the same role he played for world heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison (48-3-1, 42 KOs) from his amateur days through his first 39 pro fights, 1988 to 1993. “I liked the fact Marco fought in front of a lot of people. 3,000 rabid fans,” Brown noted. “It was an exciting environment and down the road, he’s going to be in big fights, and it was good for him to get experience like he did in his last fight. He has a great left hook like so many Mexican fighters. I like that he’s going to have some time off after the last 12 months. We need to find him some durable sparring because that’s lacking in this area. I want him in real sparring sessions, not holding back, to know when to let it go. I don’t worry about his time off over the holidays because he’s always in the gym and he’s only 19.”
Other integral members of Romero’s corner are assistant coaches Sergio Flores and Marco’s father, Salvador Romero, who encouraged his son to become a boxer at the age of seven.
