The 20-year-old is excited to face the Wisconsin spoiler, who seized Isaac Carbonell's 9-0 record before giving unbeaten prospect Moreno Fendero a good workout the following month in a 10-round points loss last November.

"He's a good opponent with great experience, definitely a step up and I'll demonstrate that I am ready for any challenge," Romero (12-0, 11 knockouts) told The Ring.

"He's coming ready and I am too, excited to show I'm at a different level."

In his last fight on February 19, Romero stopped the once-promising Vaughn Alexander in six rounds during what represented a good learning curve for the youngster.

"He's a vet in this boxing game having gone up against great competition," Romero said of Alexander, who went to prison for armed robbery for 11 years before returning to the sport, sharing the ring with future world champions Janibek Alimkhanuly and Christian Mbilli.

"[I] went past four rounds (for the first time), finally giving me more time to show I'm a package deal. I have speed, power and movement, with great defense."

Romero is handled by John Brown, who once worked with the late former WBO heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison.

Brown decided after that relationship ran its course, he'd help young boxers and amateurs but vowed to not get involved in professional boxing. He stood by that stance for several years before Romero arrived and changed that.

"Working with Tommy Morrison was very difficult and frustrating because the team I put together to help make him successful wanted his success more than he did, so therefore every task to make him better was like pushing water uphill," he explained.

"I have worked with [coached] Marco since he was 11 years old, so know the boxer and his family quite well. Marco has always been an overachiever and willing to do whatever it takes to be successful. This attitude and work ethic led him to a spectacularly successful amateur career and to presently being 12-0 as a professional.

Training Morrison was like a daily colonoscopy. Marco is the direct opposite due to his willingness to learn and an outgoing, gregarious personality."

Since Romero made the leap into the professional ranks in June 2024, he has improved immeasurably.

"I feel great since turning pro," he remarked. "I have matured in all areas of my game, and I've showed that with each and every fight.

"I feel I have improved a lot since my first fight. I'm more comfortable in the ring, my speed and power have increased but what I’ve seen grow the most is my IQ, I see more clearly, am patient in picking and choosing my shots, all mixed in with my pressure-fighting style.

"I'm just ready to continue growing and stepping up my competition. I'm coming for it all."

Brown is well placed to access how Romero is evolving.

"Marco is a young, developing fighter getting faster, stronger and more skilled every day, allowing him to achieve all his goals in this toughest of all sports," said the mentor. "We are not in a hurry as we want to give him the opportunity to achieve his full potential."

Romero expects to continue at this level for a period of time while taking the necessary steps to eventually level up.

"My plan for this year is to leave a statement; put everyone on notice that I'm coming," he said. "I'll continue to grow with a couple more eight-round fights and end the year with a 10-rounder."

Langston (14-5-1, 9 KOs) has only been stopped once in his career, a second-round defeat by the naturally bigger Cruse Stewart in 2019. In the years since then, he has provided solid rounds in losing efforts against the likes of Matchroom-backed light heavyweight Khalil Coe, Lawrence King and Fendero last time out on November 13.