At just 18, Marco Romero’s dreams extend far beyond the boxing ring, though his achievements as an amateur are vast.
The Olathe, Kansas, native Romero, known as “El Tiburon” (The Shark), stands at 5ft 10ins, and the super middleweight’s aspirations are as towering as his team believes his talent is, with hopes of bringing world championship boxing back to Kansas.
For Romero, who boasts a 4-0 (3 KOs) record, boxing is as much about inspiring his community as it is about winning titles. Though they might go hand-in-hand.
“Honestly, my biggest goal with this pro thing is to bring world championship boxing back to Kansas,” Romero told BoxingScene. “Give back to my community and inspire other young and upcoming boxers from Kansas City – not necessarily just boxing, but any sport.”
Romero turned professional this year after being an 18-time national champion. With a record of 140-5, he held the No. 1 spot in the country for five consecutive years and represented Team USA at various levels.
“I won basically every single national tournament there is,” Romero said. “I was also part of Team USA Junior, Youth, and Elite. Honestly, I think I’m one of the best amateurs U.S. boxing has probably ever seen.”
His leap to the pros was prompted by a bittersweet reality. Romero technically won the Olympic trials but found himself disqualified due to his age – he was just 18 at the time – and his weight class, 165lbs, wasn’t contested in Paris 2024.
“As every amateur boxer dreams, I wanted to go to the Olympics,” Romero said. “When I wasn’t able to, we decided it was time to go pro. That decision is what led me here, chasing titles and the opportunity to give back to Kansas.”
Romero takes pride in his home state’s contributions to boxing, naming fighters like Victor Ortiz, Brandon Rios, Eric Priest and Alan Garcia as notable Kansas fighters who have turned professional.
“I think it’s just a culture thing here in Kansas,” Romero said. “We may not have the biggest scene compared to other states, but we definitely bring some of the best fighters.”
One of his ultimate dreams? To headline a world title fight at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium, where the Chiefs play.
“I want to fill up Arrowhead one day,” Romero said. “Either fighting for a world title or defending all my belts. That’s the goal, man – bringing it all back to Kansas.”
As for inspirations, Romero cites three Mexican legends as his biggest influences: Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, Marco Antonio Barrera (after whom he was named), and Julio Cesar Chavez. “Those three, I think, are the biggest inspirations that drove me to do boxing,” Romero said.
Looking ahead, Romero sees a bright future – both for himself and for Kansas boxing.
“I’m coming to take over the boxing world,” Romero said. “I want to be a multiple-weight-class world champion and represent Kansas to the fullest.”
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