After enjoying success as an amateur, including winning the national Golden Gloves title last year, the proud Chaldean won his first professional fight in front of his community.
SAN DIEGO — Johnny Mansoor delighted his hometown San Diego fans with a dominant professional boxing debut Saturday night at Pechanga Arena against a fighter with eight professional bouts under his belt at lightweight 135 pounds.
Mansour's nickname is “Magic” and it shows in his footwork and talent.
“You know, I'm thankful to God for this win,” Mansoor said. “I want to thank my team for preparing me for the camp. This is the first of many camps.”
Mansoor is currently one of only two professional fighters of Chaldean descent, the other being his cousin.
East County fans were out in force Saturday night. “All the fans in the Middle Eastern community are huge supporters of me,” Mansoor said. “I want to build more credibility and inspire the younger generation in the Middle East to follow in my footsteps.” [and] I'm going to start boxing.
Mansoor's professional debut came after a stellar amateur career that saw him finish as the No. 1 amateur ranked fighter at 132 pounds.
“I know how I started this sport. That's why everything in life starts like this. You start from scratch. It takes a lot of effort. People ask me why I get up early and go to bed early. People will ask you, “Why do you avoid parties?'' But when you end up in the bright lights, people will ask you, “How do you do that?''
Boxing commentators for Saturday's fight gave Mansour positive reviews during the broadcast. “He's in a great position for his first professional fight. He's got some sharp combinations to his head and body, great setups off his back foot. It's great.”
Attention: San Diego native Chaldean makes professional boxing debut
