KANSAS CITY, Kan. (June 22, 2026) – Legendary boxing coach John Brown has coached more than 18,500 youngsters during his 60+ years involved in the sport. The 79-year-old Midwest institution has only turned two of his boxers to the professional ranks, former world champion Tommy Morrison and one of the hottest prospects in the world, Marco “El Tiburón” Romero (14-0, 12 KOs).
Romero, 20, was a sensational amateur boxer – 130-5 record and 23-time national champion – and he hasn’t lost a fight in nearly 7 years, since he dropped a split decision on June 28, 2019, at the National Junior Olympics. As a professional, Romero is undefeated in 14 fights and he has won each of the 35 rounds on each of the three judges’ scorecards.
“Marco is my coaching Halley’s Comet,” Brown spoke about Romero, “which appears every 85 years or so. He has the best set of combined skills and talents, and that’s why he went pro. For me to train a pro, he has to have the talent and mental toughness to become wealthy and remain healthy at the end of his career.”
In addition to being arguably one of the premier American boxing coaches of all-time, Brown also founded Ringside Boxing, and he was President of USA Boxing. He currently owns and operates the largest gym in the country, Turner Boxing Academy in Kansas City, Kansas.
Born and raised in St. Louis, Brown has always been overly concerned with the health of his boxers, mentally and physically.
Now a promotional free agent being wooed by several top promoters, Romero is expected to soon sign with a promoter, allowing Brown to concentrate solely on managing and training Romero. To this point, he has also served as Romero’s quasi-promoter, covering all the costs associated with promoting a potentially world-class prospect.
Brown always notes that Morrison and Romero, to be kind, are diametrically opposite of each other as fighters and, equally significant, as a person.
Romero, fighting out of Olathe (KS), has been guided by Brown since he was seven, often saying Coach John means so much more to him than just his boxing coach in the four-cornered ring as well as life.
“Coach John has always taught his boxers to get hit less so they last longer during their career,” Romero said. “Boxing can be punishing, but it’s also a form of art, and Coach John always stresses taking as little punishment as possible to the head.”
In addition to saying his major job is to make Marco wealthy and keep him healthy, hoping his super middleweight/middleweight prospect hangs up his gloves prior to his 30th birthday, Brown also teaches his “Double E” theory of boxing.
“We all know boxing is very dangerous,” Brown explained. I only wanted to be involved with a pro fighter who I can make wealthy and work to stay healthy. Minimum damage will always be our goal and, so far, we’ve been very successful at that. I want him to continue with what I call the Triple E: elusive, explosive and exciting.
“I want Marco to have the toughness of (Marvelous) Marvin Hagler but more defensive like Bernard Hopkins and Oscar de la Hoya earlier in his career. I want him to be like (Oleksandr) Usyk and (Dmitry) Bivol because they’re great but don’t take a lot of punishment.”
Stay tuned!
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