ROLANDO ROMERO began boxing to impress a woman, but he soon fell in love with the sport.
The outspoken and brash American takes on Gervonta in a Pay-Per-View headliner on Showtime USA and FITE TV UK.
Romero, 26, is unbeaten in 14 fights. He won them all with 12 knockouts.
This is despite the fact that he was a late-bloomer in boxing and only started at 17 after watching 2012 Olympics.
Romero began to take the sport seriously only three years later, and he also tried to win the affection of a girl.
He wanted to show her he could improve their lives and keep them disciplined.
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Romero gave up after four months of trying, but he was already a fan of boxing.
SunSport spoke with him: "August 2015, that was my first attempt, and I did it, but I stopped trying around December 2015. I was purely focused on boxing.
"I focused on boxing at that point, and Mayweather Promotions signed me about a year later."
Although Romero only picked up the gloves ten year ago, boxing has been a part of his life since childhood.
SIGN UP DEALS AND FREE BETS - THE BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERINGSRolando Sr., his father, was a Cuban national amateur champion and wanted his son follow his example.
Romero Jr. had other ideas, and preferred to brag over box.
After a few too many words, he had to step into the ring.
Romero said: "I started boxing when I was 17, after watching the 2012 Olympics. They were chumps, I told them. I'd knock them out.
My dad said, "No, you wouldn’t, you’re a bitch." I replied, "Watch me!"
"I went to the gym. The first day I put on gloves and sparred with somebody. I broke his nose.
"I went back the following day and broke another child's nose. I thought, 'I think this might be a good s ***'..
"I beat the s*** of a few people, then my ass beat me. I was a natural. I have always been a puncher.
"It's either you are born with it or not. I have the blessing, and I was blessed with incredible power.
"I could touch someone and knock them out."
The Romeros were fighters from the beginning, in and outside of the ring.
Rolando Sr. was 27 when he tried to flee Cuba. He was given rice and water for his first month in prison.
After serving his sentence in jail, he sought to defect again and swam through Guantanamo with his friend.
Unfortunately, Rolando Sr.'s friend drowned in the ocean and died. Romero's father survived and flew Romero to Miami after three weeks.
Rolando Sr., his son's assistant coach made it to America at 30 years old. His boy was born two years later.
Romero claims that despite his father's remarkable story, he is inspired instead by the promise he made to him.
He stated, "Really it doesn't motivate you. That was his journey.
"What motivates me about my father is the truth that he wanted me to become a champion, and that I achieved that goal at twelve fights.
"Now, I want to be a star. That's what motivates and inspires me.
"I don’t believe in external motivation, I believe it should come from within.
"If you don’t want it for yourself, it doesn’t matter what anyone else wants."
Romero had only 35 fights and a 25-10 record.
Instead, he found his way to the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas where he treated sparring sessions as brutal world title fights.
It attracted Mayweather's attention, and he signed Romero in 2016. However, the boxer had a poor reputation.
He stated that he had calmed down because it was getting expensive. Because no one was going to spare me, I had to pay.
"Then, I was sparing more than I was making to fight. So I thought, 'OK. Maybe there's a problem with that.
"I was just like a man from the end 2015 to the August 2018 and I was just going there with one goal, beat the f*** off of you, knock your out."
Romero won the WBA interim lightweight title in 2020 and beat Anthony Yigit a year later, his biggest win.
He was then offered a match against his long-time rival Davis (27), which was scheduled for December.
Romero was then removed from the room after he was accused of sexual assault. He vigorously denied it.
The investigation revealed that the allegations were not supported and the unbeaten fighter was cleared.
He got another shot at Davis, who together with an unnamed foe remain at the top of Romero’s hit-list.
He stated that he was the "motherf***er" I liked the least in the sport. There is another guy I don't like.
"There are two people that I want to kiss and go up to. They are not the right people for me to discuss.
Tank, this fight is ours and I'm going knock him out to make me a star. He has everything I want."
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Romero, despite being 7/1 underdog, has been bullish in his verdict on Davis, who defends the WBA 'Regular title.
When asked to predict the end of the fight, he replied: "Twenty-five seconds into round one."
