Rolando Romero is ready to get his career back on track following recent knockout losses to Isaac Cruz and Gervonta Davis.
Romero (15-2, 13 KOs) will get a bounce-back opportunity on Sept. 14 when he takes on Manuel Jaimes (16-1-1, 11 KOs) on a card headlined by Canelo Alvarez’s fight against Edgar Berlanga at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The always-confident and quirky Romero sounded carefree when discussing his upcoming clash against the little-known Jaimes, a Northern Californian who’s built half of his career fighting unheralded competition in the Tijuana, Mexico boxing circuit.
“He’s just happy to have an opportunity,” Romero told BoxingScene while fiddling with an origami crane.
“I’m not improving. I’m not changing. I forgot how to change. I don’t have to change. I’m me. Everyone wants to be me and look like me. Boxing really needs me.”
The matchup will mark the first time the six-year professional Jaimes is fighting in a ten-rounder. Romero himself graduated from fighting six rounds to twelve rounds, with only one eight-rounder in between, less than five years ago.
“You prepare for the fight you’re going to fight. It all comes down to one thing – balls. If you have balls, the rounds don’t matter,” said Romero. “In fact, they should bring back 15-round fights. There would be fewer split decisions and robberies.”
Romero last fought in March and was dominated by Cruz en route to an eighth-round TKO loss. Romero lost the WBA junior welterweight title he had picked up during his controversial ninth-round stoppage win against Ismael Barroso in 2023, when referee Tony Weeks prematurely waved off a fight Barroso, ahead on all three cards, was winning.
“I don’t care for the 140-pound weight class – I care about Rolly,” said Romero. “I just do whatever I want to do, whenever I want to do it. I can go for a title shot next or take the next four years off and explore the world.
“My long-term goal is to have some babies. I really want some kids. An ideal 2025 would be having kids, traveling a lot, and trying out a lot of new things I haven’t tried before. And just enjoy myself.”
Romero has been singing a more serious tune in recent weeks preparing for Jaimes. Romero has said he’s training with coach Ismael Salas to refine his technique, increase power, and sharpen his mental game. He also labeled Jaimes as a tough opponent he’s not taking lightly, and that a win would be a step in the right direction to next face a bigger name in the loaded 140-pound division.
“I don’t care [for a rematch versus Cruz]. I had a bad day that night,” said Romero. “It happens to everyone. I was off before I even got in the ring. It happens. It’s boxing.”
The eccentric Romero declined to reveal what was bothering him heading into the contest against Cruz.
“I don’t want to disclose that information. The Feds are watching,” said Romero.
The 29-year-old ended the conversation by taking an idiosyncratic page out of heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk’s book of classic sayings to describe his fight against Jaimes.
“I’m very feel about it,” said Romero.
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter whose work has appeared on ESPN, Fox Sports, USA Today, The Guardian, Newsweek, Men’s Health, NFL.com, Los Angeles Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Ring Magazine, and more. He’s been writing for BoxingScene since 2018. Manouk is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.