A San Diego native is being celebrated for becoming the 2021 USA National Youth Boxing Champion.
18-year-old Julius Ballo who was born and resides in San Diego started boxing in 2003 and is now on the Team USA Boxing team.
In 2020, Ballo placed 1st in the USA Boxing Youth National Championships.
This year, Ballo helped Team USA close the first-ever Junior Pan American Games with five gold and three silver medals, for a total of 12 medals.
The Junior Pan American Games brought over 100 boxers from North, Central, South America, and the Caribbean to compete in Cali, Colombia.
Ballo himself took home the first gold of the day after beating Pablo Capistrano of Brazil. He then defeated Lucas Arias of Uruguay and William Vazquez of Puerto Rico both by unanimous decisions.
According to TeamUSA.org, Ballo also won the Junior Pan American Games Qualifier earlier year.
"What a time to be alive, straight from getting gold in Colombia at the PanAmerican Games to getting the National Championship Title!" Ballo wrote on Instagram. "I would like to thank my parents, my team, my supporters and God for giving me the opportunity to do what I do best!"