The only hesitation felt by D’Mitrius Ballard in accepting a fight with Jaime Munguia was taking a moment to make sure it was really happening.

“I was a little surprised, I’m not gonna lie,” Ballard admitted to BoxingScene.com. “But I was happy when I got that call. The last few years of my career, I fight and then I’m on hold. I fought in 2019 and then not again in 2021.

"To fight in November and then get right back in the ring is a blessing. For it to be against Munguia and to move closer to a world championship, it’s just the cherry on top.”

The battle of unbeaten middleweights requires Ballard (21-0-1, 13KOs)  to travel to enemy territory for the biggest assignment of his career. The 28-year-old from Temple Hills, Maryland—better known as ‘Big Meech’—takes on Munguia (38-0, 30KOs) this Saturday at Plaza Monumental de Playas de Tijuana in the former WBO junior middleweight titlist’s hometown of Tijuana, Mexico.

The bout is just his second outside of the United States as a pro and his first career fight against someone with championship pedigree. The opportunity surprisingly came back around after the two were due to collide last April. Ballard agreed to step in as a late replacement for Poland’s Maciej Sulecki for a planned April 23 show in El Paso, Texas, only to have to withdraw due to an elbow injury.

Munguia wound up sitting out until June 19, revisiting plans with Sulecki who once again withdrew from the fight. The opportunity instead went to former title challenger Kamil Szeremeta, who Munguia decimated in six rounds. Munguia and Ballard appeared on the same show last November in Anaheim, each scoring decision wins in separate bouts on DAZN which will air their regional middleweight title fight this weekend.

“It’s weird how it worked out,” noted Ballard. “It’s almost like a movie. I got injured, I was out. Then I get a tune-up fight and next thing you know I’m fighting Jaime Munguia.

“If I didn’t live it, I swear someone made it up. I feel extremely grateful to have this opportunity to do what I do.”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox