Orlando Romero
Encyclopedia
Orlando Romero is a former boxer
from Peru
. Nicknamed "Romerito" he was one of South America's top ranked lightweights during the 1980s.
Romero won his first four bouts, then drew (tied) with Miguel Macias after six rounds, on July 21. Only two weeks later, on August 3, he started another winning streak, when he beat Luis Carhuamaca by decision in six, also in Lima.
On October 22, he had his first bout outside Lima, when he knocked out
Carlos Soriano in the second round at Trujillo
. After four additional wins, Romero returned to Lima, where he defeated Domingo Gonzalez on April 19, 1980, by a knockout in six rounds, to win the Peruvian national Lightweight title.
After two more victories, Romero added the Latin American Lightweight title with a twelve round decision victory over Leonidas Asprilla, who also fought Aaron Pryor
, by a decision in twelve, on September 20 in Lima.
Romero had fourteen more victories in a row before challenging Ray Mancini
for the WBA
world Lightweight title. Among the fighters he beat were Oscar Huertas (twice), Antonio Cruz (against whom Romero retained the Latin American Lightweight title by a twelve round decision on May 17, 1982 in Lima) and Jerome Artis.
On September 15, 1983, Romero had his first world title try, and his first fight abroad, when he challenged Mancini for the WBA world Lightweight championship, at New York's Madison Square Garden
. Romero was attempting to become Peru's first world boxing champion in history. After eight rounds, the fight was close, with one judge (Nicasio Drake), having it a 77-77 tie, while two judges, (Ismael W. Fernandez and Yusaku Yoshida) having Mancini ahead by 77-76 and 79-77, respectively, but Mancini retained the title when he knocked Romero out in the ninth round. Having won 26 bouts in a row, Romero had been inflicted his first defeat as a professional boxer.
Romero gained some celebrity outside Peru after this bout, with Ring En Español
dedicating various articles to the Peruvian boxer. On January 14, 1984, he outpointed former Samuel Serrano
world title challenger Benedicto Villablanca
over ten rounds in Trujillo. He followed that win with a ten round decision on May 4 over Robert Mullins, who had also boxed Héctor Camacho
.
After one more win, he lost to another well known Peruvian boxer, the then up and coming Geronimo Luque, by a knockout in nine rounds on December 1, at Lima.
Romero lost four of his last five fights, all against name opponents: on October 5, 1985, he was defeated by future Julio César Chávez
world title challenger Angel Hernandez
by a sixth round knockout in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
. Two months later, on December 3, he lost to another Puerto Rican
, Miguel Santana
(who challenged Greg Haugen
for the IBF
's world Lightweight title), losing by a fourth round knockout.
After a two year lay-off following those two defeats, Romero returned to boxing, meeting Leonidas Asprillas' younger brother, Aquilles Asprilla, for the WBC's
regional, Fecarbox
title. Asprilla outpointed Romero over twelve rounds on July 17, 1987, in Guayaquil
, Ecuador.
Romero had another two year lay-off from boxing before returning for one more fight: trying to win the South American Lightweight title, he was knocked out in the second round by Oscar Benavides Muniz on October 31, 1989 in Chile
, after which he retired for good.
Romero won 34 bouts, losing 6 and drawing in 1, with 12 wins by knockout.
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
from Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. Nicknamed "Romerito" he was one of South America's top ranked lightweights during the 1980s.
Professional boxing career
Orlando Romero began his professional career as a boxer on February 24, 1979, defeating Rafael Pando by a six round decision in Lima.Romero won his first four bouts, then drew (tied) with Miguel Macias after six rounds, on July 21. Only two weeks later, on August 3, he started another winning streak, when he beat Luis Carhuamaca by decision in six, also in Lima.
On October 22, he had his first bout outside Lima, when he knocked out
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
Carlos Soriano in the second round at Trujillo
Trujillo, Peru
Trujillo, in northwestern Peru, is the capital of the La Libertad Region, and the third largest city in Peru. The urban area has 811,979 inhabitants and is an economic hub in northern Peru...
. After four additional wins, Romero returned to Lima, where he defeated Domingo Gonzalez on April 19, 1980, by a knockout in six rounds, to win the Peruvian national Lightweight title.
After two more victories, Romero added the Latin American Lightweight title with a twelve round decision victory over Leonidas Asprilla, who also fought Aaron Pryor
Aaron Pryor
Aaron Pryor is a former boxer from Cincinnati, Ohio, and member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He is the former world Junior Welterweight champion, and regarded as one of the greatest fighters in the history of the weight class.-Amateur career:Pryor, nicknamed The Hawk, had a record of...
, by a decision in twelve, on September 20 in Lima.
Romero had fourteen more victories in a row before challenging Ray Mancini
Ray Mancini
Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini is a retired Italian-American boxer. He held the World Boxing Association lightweight championship from 1982 to 1984. Mancini inherited his distinctive nickname from his father, veteran boxer Lenny "Boom Boom" Mancini, who laid the foundation for his son's career...
for the WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
world Lightweight title. Among the fighters he beat were Oscar Huertas (twice), Antonio Cruz (against whom Romero retained the Latin American Lightweight title by a twelve round decision on May 17, 1982 in Lima) and Jerome Artis.
On September 15, 1983, Romero had his first world title try, and his first fight abroad, when he challenged Mancini for the WBA world Lightweight championship, at New York's Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. Romero was attempting to become Peru's first world boxing champion in history. After eight rounds, the fight was close, with one judge (Nicasio Drake), having it a 77-77 tie, while two judges, (Ismael W. Fernandez and Yusaku Yoshida) having Mancini ahead by 77-76 and 79-77, respectively, but Mancini retained the title when he knocked Romero out in the ninth round. Having won 26 bouts in a row, Romero had been inflicted his first defeat as a professional boxer.
Romero gained some celebrity outside Peru after this bout, with Ring En Español
Ring En Español
The Ring En Español was a Spanish version of boxing publication The Ring magazine. Ring En Español was published from 1977 to 1985. Originally published from Caracas, it moved in 1981 to Miami, to Editorial America , the same editorial house that oversaw the production of Cosmopolitans Spanish...
dedicating various articles to the Peruvian boxer. On January 14, 1984, he outpointed former Samuel Serrano
Samuel Serrano
Samuel Serrano , nicknamed Sammy and El Torbellino, is a Puerto Rican who won boxing's world junior lightweight championship twice.-Early history:...
world title challenger Benedicto Villablanca
Benedicto Villablanca
Benedicto Villablanca is a former professional boxer who came close to becoming Chile's first professional boxing world champion....
over ten rounds in Trujillo. He followed that win with a ten round decision on May 4 over Robert Mullins, who had also boxed Héctor Camacho
Héctor Camacho
Héctor Camacho , nicknamed "Macho Camacho", is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. His son, Héctor Camacho Jr., is also a boxer.- Early life and amateur career :...
.
After one more win, he lost to another well known Peruvian boxer, the then up and coming Geronimo Luque, by a knockout in nine rounds on December 1, at Lima.
Romero lost four of his last five fights, all against name opponents: on October 5, 1985, he was defeated by future Julio César Chávez
Julio César Chávez
Julio César Chávez is a retired Mexican professional boxer.He is a six-time world champion in three weight divisions, and for several years he was considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world...
world title challenger Angel Hernandez
Angel Hernandez (boxer)
Angel Hernandez Angel Hernandez Angel Hernandez (born September 17, 1975 in (San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosí, Mexico) is a Mexican middleweight boxer. Hernandez has fought many noted fighters. He has held the NABA, NABF and International Boxing Association Americas light middleweight titles...
by a sixth round knockout in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Guaynabo is a municipality in the northern part of Puerto Rico, located in the northern coast of the island, north of Aguas Buenas; south of Cataño; east of Bayamón; and west of San Juan...
. Two months later, on December 3, he lost to another Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, Miguel Santana
Miguel Santana
Miguel Santana is a former boxer from Puerto Rico. Santana was born in Canovanas.-Boxing career:Miguel Santana had an award winning amateur boxing career, training alongside a young Jose Antonio Rivera, who is a two division world champion himself...
(who challenged Greg Haugen
Greg Haugen
Greg Lee Haugen is a retired American boxer. Haugen was champion at both the Lightweight and Light-welterweight classes.Haugen turned pro in 1982 and won his first 17 fights before challenging for a world title...
for the IBF
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
's world Lightweight title), losing by a fourth round knockout.
After a two year lay-off following those two defeats, Romero returned to boxing, meeting Leonidas Asprillas' younger brother, Aquilles Asprilla, for the WBC's
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
regional, Fecarbox
Fecarbox
Fecarbox refers to Federacion Centroamericana de Boxeo Profesional--a Central American sanctioning body within José Sulaimán's World Boxing Council. Some consider this an alphabet soup sanctioning body.-Other world organizations:...
title. Asprilla outpointed Romero over twelve rounds on July 17, 1987, in Guayaquil
Guayaquil
Guayaquil , officially Santiago de Guayaquil , is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador,with about 2.3 million inhabitants in the city and nearly 3.1 million in the metropolitan area, as well as that nation's main port...
, Ecuador.
Romero had another two year lay-off from boxing before returning for one more fight: trying to win the South American Lightweight title, he was knocked out in the second round by Oscar Benavides Muniz on October 31, 1989 in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, after which he retired for good.
Romero won 34 bouts, losing 6 and drawing in 1, with 12 wins by knockout.