D’Mitrius Ballard gets his second chance to make a first impression

Jaime Munguia vs. D'Mitrius Ballard

Jan

D’Mitrius Ballard is savoring his second opportunity to fight Jaime Munguia.

The unbeaten middleweight was initially tabbed to face the undefeated Mexican in April of last year, as a late replacement, only to suffer an elbow injury in training.

After eight challenging years, the one-time amateur standout thought he would have to start from scratch. Instead Golden Boy Promotions, Munguia’s promoter, gave Ballard another phone call and a second chance at a major fight.

“First of all, I was very happy Golden Boy did contact me [again] with the fight. I was overjoyed because I was offered the fight previously and I got hurt in training camp. Being a boxer, sometimes you don’t get that call a second time.”

Munguia went on to defeat Kamil Szeremeta and Gabriel Rosado in last June and November, respectively, while Ballard returned on the latter card to outpoint Paul Valenzuela Jr. in a 10-rounder.

A grateful but determined Ballard is ready to give it his all on February 19, at Plaza Monumental de Playas de Tijuana, in Tijuana, Mexico, Munguia’s hometown, in a DAZN-streamed main event.

“A couple weeks after I fought Valenzuela, I got a call saying, ‘It’s here.’ And then we got the opportunity [to fight Munguia again]. I’m extremely happy and extremely blessed. I didn’t know if I was going to get the call again but I did get the call.

Being an underdog doesn’t phase D'Mitrius Ballard
at all. 💯

🥊 #MunguiaBallard @daznboxing
🏟 Plaza Monumental de Tijuana
🎟 https://t.co/o5DVhfTCDm pic.twitter.com/WNZddCufEz

— Golden Boy (@GoldenBoyBoxing) January 26, 2022

“Think about it. They had us on the same card on November 13th, so maybe all along this was the plan initially for us to fight.”

The 28-year-old Ballard (21-0-1, 13 knockouts), of Temple Hills, Maryland, told The Ring the chemistry between him and head trainer Barry Hunter “is growing.”

“I’ve known Barry Hunter since I was in the amateurs. He coached on the USA team. As an amateur, my gyms always sparred with his people, so I’ve been familiar with him.

“In the gym, he’s pushing me hard and I’m putting in the work. Everything is going very well. We’re on the same page, same mission. We’re ready to go.”

Ballard also credited his family and children for keeping his spirits lifted, especially when the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic kept him out of the ring entirely in 2020.

“My kids are the motivation for me. You have to feed them; you have to make sure they’re OK and you have to make sure to provide for them.

Jaime Munguia will now face D’Mitrius Ballard on February 19.

As a kid, I never really knew what love [was] until I actually had kids. The love I have for my kids is boundless and I just want to give everything to them that I didn’t have.”

Now Ballard will have to square off against one of the top young talents in the world in unfriendly territory.

Munguia (38-0, 30 KOs) is a former junior middleweight titleholder who seemed to be a one-dimensional kid with heavy hands until he joined forces with Hall-of-Famer Erik Morales. Under his tutelage, the 25-year-old has seemingly transformed.

“I have always been a defensive fighter but I would always get stuck. It’s a mental thing,” Munguia told The Ring earlier this month. “Erik has taught me to think more, breathe, relax, take my time and control the timing of the fight. His training has influenced my style by throwing more combinations, making sure I use my jab. Plus he has a lot of experience in the ring as well and I trust his judgment.”

Ballard was also complimentary about Munguia’s improvement but claimed his best assets would counter that.

“His [strength] is his demeanor. He goes in the ring and he has a plan and he implements it. He goes for it; he throws a lot of punches and he breaks his opponents down. He’s a bull; he’s a Mexican warrior and he’s a dog. All of that is working in his favor.

“But for me, really, I believe I’m a dog too. I believe I’m a bull too. I believe I’m a warrior too. As they say, I’m bringing my cajones to the fight. I’m getting in the ring and just dictating [the pace] more, just implementing what I want to do in the ring and not letting Jaime do what he wants to do.”

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