Julius Ballo knows something about boxing that many champions are missing

While Julius Ballo is still absorbing numerous lessons as a professional boxer, the 23-year-old San Diego fighter is already far beyond many world champions in the art of self-promotion.

As Ballo’s Instagram following climbs toward 700,000 this month, he’s heading to just his fourth pro bout August 29, when he meets Oregon’s Anthony Cruz Herrera on a Wynn Records Network card from Detroit’s Fox Theater that features former heavyweight title challenger Bryant Jennings and Ballo’s also-unbeaten lightweight cousin Jonny Mansour.

Together, the pair are nearing 1 million followers, offering an authentic behind-the-scenes view of their developing careers that includes personal-life coverage along with giveaways.

“The good thing about me is I don’t play a character. I just be myself. I’m a humble beast,” Ballo 3-0 told BoxingScene this week. “I try not to [swear]. I try to represent my religion and be Christ-like.” 

Drawing a large swath of fans from the Middle Eastern Chaldean community, who have deep roots in Syria and Iraq and populate large pockets of San Diego and Detroit, Ballo said being genuine, sincere and interesting goes along way in building an audience in a sport some view as waning in interest.

“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 and how you [do that] is by promoting yourself, by being on social media and by performing. If you’re not performing right and [not] winning, you’re doing nothing. My advice is to perform at your best, win and make yourself stand out to these promoters, managers and fans.”

Although Ballo is fighting under Dmitriy Salita Promotions later this month, he’s inked to Bob Arum’s Top Rank with his career steps being directed by International Boxing Hall of Fame matchmakers Brad Goodman and Bruce Trampler.

Famed manager James Prince (Shakur Stevenson, Andre Ward, Keyshawn Davis) manages Ballo, nicknamed “JuJu.” 

“He has some natural ability. It’ll take a while to get to the next level,” Goodman said of Ballo. “But you’ve got to love his marketability. He’s a social media darling.”

Gallo is happy to put in the work, strengthening his skills and building his social profile at the same time.

“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.

“They [Top Rank] coordinate a lot of things for me. There’s always things to work on, things to get better at. I feel my speed is my best [asset], my range, my timing. 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 Chaldean presence in Detroit prompted the cousins to take their show on the road after placing their past two cards in Southern California, although Ballo said the alliance with Mansour may be paused as he resumes fighting on Top Rank cards.

“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,” Ballo said.

Ballo said he’s driven to provide his city a championship that its teams – the Padres and former NFL occupant Chargers – haven’t. Boxers Paul Vaden, Archie Moore and Ken Norton made themselves world champions from San Diego. 

“Yes, 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.”

More immediately, he’s pursuing his first pro knockout.

“It’s in God’s hands,” Ballo said. “I’ll do my best in there.”