Rolando “Rolly” Romero, 24, made his professional debut on December 2, 2016, scoring a first-round technical knockout (TKO) victory against David Courtney at the Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall in Sunrise Manor, Nevada.
After compiling a record of 11–0 (10 KOs) he faced Jackson Martinez for the vacant WBA interim lightweight title on August 15, 2020, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. In what was viewed as a controversial decision, Romero captured the vacant WBA interim title via twelve-round unanimous decision (UD) with the judges’ scorecards reading 118–110, 116–112, and 115–113.