[1] Rodolfo was born during the Mexican Revolution, his father Don Rafael Casanova died in that war.

His mother moved the family to Mexico City after the death.

[2] Casanova grew up very poor and started boxing only after his older brother Carlos, an amateur boxer, had no official government backing to attend the 1928 Summer Olympics.

This would be the first world title fight between a Mexican and a Puerto Rican.

This biographical article related to a Mexican boxer is a stub.