On Saturday, April 18, cousins Julius “Juju” Ballo and Jonny Mansour headlined an 11-fight card, filling the stands with over 5,000 tickets sold. The cousin duo stunned the crowd after “SD Fight Night: Family Business” was an ultimate success, keeping up their undefeated streak in their hometown along with other San Diego boxers such as Frankie Garcia.
Franklin “Frankie” Garcia vs. Rahmel McKinley
Frankie Garcia was the first fight on the card, starting Fight Night with a thrill. During his pro debut on Feb. 26, Garcia ended his fight with a second-round knockout (KO). That would seem hard to top, but Garcia did just that.
On Saturday, Garcia defeated his opponent, Rahmel McKinley. In his second pro fight, he landed a Technical Knockout (TKO) after having dropped McKinley multiple times throughout the short bout, and the referee had to call it a night for his opponent. In the first round, at two minutes and 19 seconds, Garcia claimed another victory, keeping his early pro record clean.
Jonny Mansour vs. William King
Jonny Mansour was the first of the double-main event to step into the ring. He fought against William King, a fighter with nine pro fights and a 6-3 record, while Mansour was 6-0. Mansour started his walkout with a video and dedication that immediately brought the crowd to tears.
“[A] late-night thought came to my head, what’s the best way to honor my mother?’ I called my camera crew and said ‘Guys, I got four minutes to film a video, but I want to dedicate three and a half minutes of that to my mother.’ It’s the best way to honor her strength in front of 5,000 fans,” he said.
Mansour went for distance over a quick KO, but admitted he tried to knock his opponent out and slowed his pace for the eight rounds.
“I tried [to knock him out]. I tried with the left hook in the beginning of that first round and I got a little bit too excited. I got to settle down a little bit more. I think I fractured my knuckle letting go of that right hand. So, I definitely was trying to close it out,” Mansour said.
Mansour took home another win, bringing his record to 7-0 and honoring his mother, with the judges’ scorecards reading 80-72, 80-72, 80-72.
Julius “Juju” Ballo vs. Roman Reyes
The night concluded with Julius “Juju” Ballo vs. Roman Reyes. Ballo, like Mansour, went the distance in this fight for all six rounds, with the win being a unanimous decision and the judges’ scorecards reading 60-54, 60-54, 60-54. The undefeated fighter left his third fight with an untouched record, as hundreds and thousands of fans came to support.
“As the headline of my third fight in my hometown, San Diego, is a blessing. I want to thank all San Diego people for showing up, people that came from all around the world, the country. Without my supporters, I’m nothing,” Ballo said.
Roman Reyes left the arena with a 6-2 record, which now displays his second loss despite the tough fight he brought to the ring.
“He [Roman Reyes] was a great opponent. He had six wins, one loss. I had to really do my research and figure him out round by round. I knew how to go in there and just let my hands go the first round or two. And I was smart, so I took it round by round, punch by punch, minute by minute,” Ballo stated.
Ballo continued, “As the rounds went on, I started getting more comfortable… It comes naturally. Sometimes, I’m not even trying. It just comes. God’s controlling me… Everything just comes from muscle memory. That’s what I feel like when I’m in the ring. It’s like a God-given talent.”
