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 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-rounds 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 won two of his last three fights, before losing his last contest, to namesake and countryman Orlando Romero Uribe. He then retired from professional boxing. Romero won 35 bouts, losing 3 and drawing (tying) in 1, with 12 wins by knockout. ==After boxing==