Rolando Romero rejects the label. 

One of the top emerging lightweight contenders, ‘Rolly’ has earned the reputation as one of boxing’s villains with his abrasive personality. Beyond his explosive punching power, Romero has made a name for himself across boxing for his oftentimes over-the-top trash talk and bombastic insults, his frequent profanity and his blunt, raw comments about other fighters and the sport itself. He’s divisive, eliciting either a strong positive or negative sentiment from most boxing fans. 

Just don’t tell all that to Romero himself. 

“I can’t really call myself a villain,” Romero told The Post. “I’m a genuine, good person. I hope everyone around me and everyone that interacts with me, they have a great time around me. I don’t know if that’s considered a villain, but I do think I’m the best fighter of my era, or I’m gonna be the best fighter of my era. If people wanna call me a villain, call me a villain. If they wanna call me a hero, call me a hero. I don’t really care what label people put on me, I am what I choose to be.” 

Villain or not, the 26-year-old now gets the opportunity he’s long been waiting for to establish his place among the best at 135 pounds. The WBC’s No. 1-ranked contender and mandatory challenger, Romero squares off with lightweight superstar Gervonta Davis for the WBA world title at Barclays Center on Saturday (9 p.m., Showtime PPV). 

Romero (14-0) is unorthodox inside the ring — another characterization he pushes back against — with his unique punching angles and movement. Containing explosive power in both hands, Romero knocked out 12 of his 14 opponents as he surged up the division’s rankings. Throughout it all, he’s been consistent in calling out Davis to get the fight he most craved. 

“I gotta fight whoever they say is at the top, to beat him, to be there. I’ve been calling this dude out since 2017, so it’s just like, him as a fighter has never impressed me, it never has,” Romero said. “I think he’s a great fighter for what he does, but on my level? He’s not on my level.” 

Romero is right — Davis is not on his level. Currently, the multiple-division champion Davis (26-0, 24 KO’s) is on a much higher level than Romero, and is one of boxing’s hottest and most lucrative talents. If he doesn’t impress Romero, he’s impressed much of the rest of the boxing community. 

“It’s not what he’s missing,” Romero added. “It’s what I have. He’s gotten to where he’s gotten, but it’s not what he’s missing, it’s what I have. I punch harder than him, I’m bigger than him, stronger than him, I’m faster than him, I’m more explosive than him, I’m the better boxer of me and him. I’m a better f–ing boxer than him. He gets punched in the face by everybody.”

Beyond the inside-the-ring remarks, Romero has also made comments on Davis’ intelligence, body-type and personality, insults that seemingly rise above normal pre-fight promotion and discourse and bring it to a personal level. 

This has lasted years, as Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe, who currently promotes both fighters for this bout, recently said Davis feels as though “Rolly has disrespected him every step of the way.” The animosity between the two has been palpable in the lead up to their showdown in Brooklyn. 

“I’m definitely waiting on that day,” Davis told The Post. “I know that I’m gonna shut him up, it’s just how and when, what round. Once we get in there, he makes the mistakes, it’s really gonna hit him when we get in that ring and he’s across from me, and he sees it’s the real deal. That’s what’s really gonna hit him. Just gotta wait and see. 

“I don’t really pay attention to what he’s got to say. It goes in one ear and out the other. He just talks a bunch of bulls–t. He’s trying to sell the fight, that’s what he’s doing. He’s trying to make as much money as he can by selling the fight. He knows he’s gonna get his ass whooped.” 

After years of campaigning for the fight, Romero had to again wait for the opportunity. After it was announced Romero would fight Davis in a Dec. 5 title fight at Staples Center, he was pulled from the card after sexual assault allegations arose against him. He was replaced by Isaac Cruz, who lost to Davis by unanimous decision. 

A month later, no charges were filed and the allegations could not be substantiated, allowing him to again work to land his desired fight with Davis. After going through personal controversy, and spending time away from the sport, Romero carries a new mindset into the ring. 

“I don’t really feel as motivated as far as like to promote the fight, as I did the first time around,” Romero said. “I just want to get to May 28 and beat the f–k out of him. It gets to a point, I’ve been calling this dude out since f–ing 2017. And getting the opportunity, I finally get it, and then all this bulls–t happens and it’s unknown whether I’m able to fight again, and yet alone with him, and this entire last year since that happened I’ve just been spending a lot of time alone, and focusing on my damn self, focusing on boxing. 

“I saw an opportunity. If something didn’t happen now I was going to make myself better in other ways. Whether it was inside or outside of boxing, I was going to spend that time focusing on me. … I’m not complaining, I accept things for what the f– they are, and I just use it to get better.”