Julius Ballo may still be learning the ropes as a professional boxer, but the 23-year-old San Diego native has already mastered something that many established fighters struggle with: how to build a following and promote himself.
Ballo is preparing for just the fourth fight of his professional career, but his popularity outside the ring is growing rapidly. His Instagram following is approaching 700,000, giving him a platform that far exceeds what many fighters have achieved after years in the sport.
On August 29, Ballo will face Oregon's Anthony Cruz Herrera at the Fox Theater in Detroit. The Wynn Records Network event will also feature former heavyweight title challenger Bryant Jennings and Ballo's unbeaten lightweight cousin, Jonny Mansour.
Ballo and Mansour have built a combined following approaching one million people by offering fans an inside look at their lives, training and careers, while also using their platforms for giveaways and other content.
For Ballo, the key to connecting with fans is authenticity. He believes there is no need to create a persona when simply being himself can attract an audience.
“The good thing about me is I don’t play a character. I just be myself. I’m a humble beast,” Ballo said. “I try to represent my religion and be Christ-like.”
His appeal has also helped him connect with the Chaldean community, which has strong roots in Syria and Iraq and significant populations in both San Diego and Detroit.
Ballo believes being genuine is especially important in boxing, where fighters are competing not only against opponents but also for the attention of fans, promoters and managers.
“There’s a lot of talent out there, but talent is not enough,” Ballo said. “You’ve got to be able to separate yourself from the crowd.”
According to Ballo, social media can provide an important platform, but it must be backed up by performances inside the ring.
“You’ve got to promote yourself, be on social media and perform. If you’re not performing right and not winning, you’re doing nothing,” he said. “My advice is to perform at your best, win and make yourself stand out to these promoters, managers and fans.”
Ballo is scheduled to fight under Dmitriy Salita Promotions later this month, while his professional career is guided by Top Rank. International Boxing Hall of Fame matchmakers Brad Goodman and Bruce Trampler are helping oversee his development.
He is also managed by renowned boxing manager James Prince, who has worked with fighters including Shakur Stevenson, Andre Ward and Keyshawn Davis.
Goodman sees plenty of potential in Ballo, although he believes the young fighter will need time before he is ready for the sport's biggest challenges.
“He has some natural ability. It’ll take a while to get to the next level,” Goodman said. “But you’ve got to love his marketability. He’s a social media darling.”
Ballo is determined to make the most of the opportunities in front of him. He says he is focused on improving his boxing skills while continuing to grow his profile.
“I appreciate what I have. I’ll continue to be the best I can be for Top Rank. Sky’s the limit for us and we’ve got big things cooking for the future,” he said.
The young fighter believes speed, timing and range are among his biggest strengths, but he is also looking to become more efficient when opponents are hurt.
“There’s always things to work on, things to get better at. I feel my speed is my best asset, my range, my timing,” Ballo said. “I’ll look to take out my opponents. I’m hurting them, but I’ve got to slow down a little more and finish them to give my fans the knockout they’ve been wanting.”
The upcoming fight in Detroit also has a strong personal connection for Ballo and Mansour because of the city's large Chaldean population. Their previous events were held in Southern California, but the cousins decided to take their show to Detroit for this occasion.
Ballo acknowledged that the joint events with Mansour could become less frequent as he returns to fighting on Top Rank cards, but he believes the break could ultimately lead to bigger events together in the future.
“I don’t think it’ll be something that’s ongoing, but maybe that’ll make it better – me doing my own thing on the Top Rank shows – and then we’ll be back together and do a big show in San Diego,” he said.
Beyond building his own career, Ballo has an ambitious goal: becoming the next world champion from San Diego.
The city has produced several notable boxing champions, including Paul Vaden, Archie Moore and Ken Norton. Ballo wants to add his name to that list and give his hometown a championship moment of its own.
“It’s been a dream of mine since three years old to be a world champion – for myself, my team, my family, for the San Diego people who’ve never had a championship,” Ballo said. “It’s coming soon, just a matter of time.”
For now, however, Ballo has a more immediate objective. He is still searching for the first knockout of his professional career and hopes to deliver the kind of performance that will further strengthen his reputation.
“It’s in God’s hands,” Ballo said. “I’ll do my best in there.”
