Dmitry Salita Explained

Dmitriy Salita
Дмитрий Салита
Дмитро Саліта
Nickname:Star of David
Weight:Light welterweight
Welterweight
Height:5 ft 9 in
Reach:69 in
Nationality:American
Birth Date:4 April 1982
Birth Place:Odesa, Ukrainian SSR,
Soviet Union
Style:Orthodox
Total:38
Wins:35
Ko:18
Losses:2
Draws:1

Dmitry Salita (Russian: Дмитрий Салита; Ukrainian: Дмитро Олександрович Саліта|translit=Dmytro Oleksandrovych Salita; born Dmitry Aleksandrovich Lekhtman; April 4, 1982) is an American boxing promoter and former professional boxer. Born in Ukraine, he grew up in New York City from the age of nine.

Salita is a practicing Orthodox Jew. He does not fight on the Sabbath or Jewish holidays and keeps kosher.[1]

Biography

Early years

Salita was born in Odesa, and grew up in Petrivka in the Odessa Oblast in what was then the Ukrainian SSR of the Soviet Union (today Ukraine). He was five years old when he saw his first boxing match. "It was Mike Tyson, and I remember dancing around my room that night imitating the moves", he recalled.[2] Salita's family moved to the United States when he was nine years old, citing antisemitism in Ukraine, and settled in Flatbush, Brooklyn.[2] His father, Aleksandr Lekhtman, was an engineer; his mother, Lyudmila Salita, was an accountant. He has one brother, Mikhail.[3] [4]

His mother originally opposed her son's boxing, but eventually became an enthusiastic supporter. She died in January 1999, after a two-year battle with breast cancer. As a tribute to his mother, he uses her maiden name, Salita, as his professional name.[5] [6] [7] [8]

Salita graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Business and Jewish Studies from Touro College.[9]

Marriage

In September 2009, Salita married Alona Aharonov,[10] [11] Alona is from the Lubavitch community.[12]

In August 2013 as part of fundraising activities for the network of Chabad-Lubavitch Jewish schools Oholey Jinuj, during a gala dinner in Buenos Aires speaking with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Salita affirmed that at the end of his boxing career, he would like to migrate to Israel with his family.[13] [14]

Boxing career

Salita started boxing at the age of 13 at the Starrett City Boxing Club. Among others, he trained with Zab Judah.[7]

Amateur career

Salita had an amateur record of 59–5. When he was 16, he represented New York in the Junior Olympics and won a bronze medal. "I thought, 'I'm ranked in America as a boxer.' That's when I really felt like an American", he said.[15] His last loss came when he was 17 in a split decision in the finals of the Golden Gloves tournament in 2000.[16]

He followed that up by becoming U.S. national under 19 champion at the U.S. Amateur under 19 Championships in Gulfport, Mississippi.[17] At the 2001 New York Golden Gloves, he won the championship at 139 pounds. Salita won the finals on April 5, 2001, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.[8]

Pro career

He turned pro at the age of 19, in the summer of 2001.[18] He signed a contract with Las Vegas-based promoter Bob Arum, whose Top Rank stable of fighters has included George Foreman, Larry Holmes, and Manny Pacquiao.[15]

On August 25, 2005, Salita captured the North American Boxing Association light welterweight championship by stopping Shawn Gallegos via ninth round TKO.[19]

Salita remained in contention for a junior welterweight title bout, extending his unbeaten streak to 28, with a unanimous 10-round decision over Grover Wiley at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York in March 2007. Salita staggered Wiley (30–9–1) with a series of body punches in the 7th round.[20]

On November 8, 2008, Salita won the International Boxing Federation International,[21] the World Boxing Association international and WBF Junior Welterweight world title. A card held on the undercard of HBO PPV card featuring Roy Jones versus Joe Calzaghe.[22]

In May 2009, he scored a dominant 10-round shutout victory over Raul "El Toro" Munoz (20–12–1, 15 KOs)[23] in Las Vegas for his 30th win.[24] [25]

Salita lost to WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan on December 5, 2009. Khan knocked out Salita in 76 seconds, knocking him down three times in the first round to defend his world title, shattering Salita's dreams of a world title. He credited Khan's superior hand speed as the reason for being knocked down.

Salita made a comeback on September 1, 2010, fighting as a junior middleweight, winning an eight-round unanimous decision over Franklin Gonzalez at the Oceana Hall in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. After the Gonzalez bout, former world champion Paul Malignaggi entered the ring to congratulate Salita and propose a bout between the two of them in the very near future. On April 13, 2011, Salita (33–1–1, 17 KOs) scored an eight-round unanimous decision victory over Ronnie Warrior Jr. (13–5–1, 4 KOs) at the Oceana Hall.

Jewish heritage

In 2009 Salita visited Israel. [26] During his tour he visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem, planted trees in Aminadav Forest[27] and toured Hebron in the West Bank,[28] where he visited the Cave of Machpela and other holy sites. He also gave boxing tips and sparred with local Jewish residents.

Endorsement deal

In 2009, Salita signed a deal to represent ARTHUR, a French-based Homewear company.[29]

Promoter

In April 2011, Salita became a boxing promoter. He is the President of Brooklyn, New York-based Salita Promotions.[30] Among the boxers Salita promotes are Claressa Shields, Christina Hammer, Jarrell Miller, Otto Wallin, and Nikolai Potapov.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Unbeaten Jewish Star Dmitriy Salita Returns on Dec 15. Eastsideboxing.com. July 11, 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090707120135/http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=5340&more=1. July 7, 2009.
  2. http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1242212441010&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull Jerusalem Post article on Salita
  3. https://usa.one/2017/06/intervyu-s-avtorom-pervoj-v-mire-rep-knigi/ Строкова Л. Интepвью c aвтopoм пepвoй в миpe pэп-книги. Usa.one
  4. https://life.ru/t/новости/120710 life.ru. Рэп-книга об одесском боксёре покорила западных читателей
  5. http://www.haaretz.com/news/sports/1.557862 Orthodox Jewish boxers score a hit
  6. Web site: Dmitriy Salita. Dsalita.com. April 13, 2010. December 2, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20091202214220/http://www.dsalita.com/?c=17. live.
  7. Web site: Unbeaten Jewish Star Dmitriy Salita Returns on Dec 15. Eastsideboxing.com. November 22, 2005. April 13, 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090707120135/http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=5340&more=1. July 7, 2009.
  8. Web site: Rising Stars. Boxingscene.com. April 4, 1982. April 13, 2010.
  9. Web site: The Boxer. Uriel Heilman. February 18, 2005. March 11, 2014. Uriel Heilman. March 11, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140311152424/http://www.urielheilman.com/0218dmitrysalita.html. live.
  10. Web site: L'Chaim: Salita - Aharonov • CrownHeights.info - Chabad News, Crown Heights News, Lubavitch NewsCrownHeights.info – Chabad News, Crown Heights News, Lubavitch News. Crownheights.info. July 2009 . 12 August 2017. July 8, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170708011444/http://crownheights.info/simcha-galleries/19590/lchaim-salita-aharonov/. live.
  11. Web site: Salita: hate chants floored me. Thejc.com. 2017-08-12. September 22, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130922052928/http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/24794/salita-hate-chants-%EF%AC%82oored-me. live.
  12. Web site: A Brooklyn Boxer Humbled, Not Down for the Count. Forward.com. July 15, 2010 . 12 August 2017. April 22, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130422173439/http://forward.com/articles/129363/a-brooklyn-boxer-humbled-not-down-for-the-count/. live.
  13. Web site: Orthodox boxer will make aliya. Times of Israel. August 8, 2013. March 11, 2014. March 11, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140311152250/http://www.timesofisrael.com/orthodox-boxer-will-make-aliya/. live.
  14. Web site: Salita tells JTA he will make aliya when finished fighting. JTA. August 8, 2013. August 11, 2017. August 12, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170812063934/http://www.jta.org/2013/08/08/default/salita-tells-jta-he-will-make-aliyah-when-finished-fighting. live.
  15. News: The Ring and a Prayer. Alona. Wartofsky. Washington Post. September 1, 2002.
  16. http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1243346493819&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull Archive
  17. Web site: G-d in My Corner. Chabad.info. July 20, 2009. April 13, 2010. July 21, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110721192117/http://www.chabad.info/index.php?url=article_en&id=15399. live.
  18. Web site: Prospects: Dmitriy Salita. Boxing Digest Magazine. January 2007. 41. Ron. Zaslow. February 8, 2007. September 27, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070927004903/http://www.dsalita.com/pdf/BoxingDigest0107.pdf. live.
  19. Web site: Unbeaten Jewish Star Dmitriy Salita Returns on December 15. East Side Boxing. November 2005. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090707120135/http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=5340&more=1. 2009-07-07.
  20. Web site: Dmitry Salita remains unbeaten – 03-23-2007. Covers.com. April 13, 2010. July 8, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090708161809/http://www.covers.com/articles/articles.aspx?theArt=133902&t=0. live.
  21. News: SUPER JOE POUNDS JONES JR. IN GARDEN BRAWL . New York Post . 9 November 2008 . November 15, 2021 . November 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211115203522/https://nypost.com/2008/11/09/super-joe-pounds-jones-jr-in-garden-brawl/ . live .
  22. News: Pusey . Trent . Roy Jones Jr vs. Joe Calzaghe Results Inside Pulse . insidepulse.com . Inside Fights . 9 November 2008 . en-us . November 15, 2021 . November 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211115205024/https://insidepulse.com/2008/11/09/roy-jones-jr-vs-joe-calzaghe-results/ . live .
  23. Web site: Boxing: Salita still unbeaten!. Fightnews.com. May 25, 2009. April 13, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20090529194456/http://www.fightnews.com/?p=12101. 2009-05-29. dead.
  24. Web site: Dmitriy Salita Beats Raul Munoz in Desert. Thesweetscience.com. April 13, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20090526211547/http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/6844/dimitriy-salita-beats-raul-munoz-desert/. 2009-05-26. dead.
  25. Web site: Salita positions himself for shot at title. ReviewJournal.com. Lvrj.com. May 25, 2009. April 13, 2010. May 28, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090528222615/http://www.lvrj.com/sports/45975472.html. live.
  26. Web site: Boxing: Salita faces the heat in first Israel visit. JPost.com. December 10, 2009 . 2016-01-14. February 1, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160201153828/http://www.jpost.com/Sports/Boxing-Salita-faces-the-heat-in-first-Israel-visit. live.
  27. Web site: Jewish Boxer Plants Trees in Aminadav Forest near Jerusalem. JPost.com. 2016-01-14. February 1, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160201105525/http://www.jpost.com/Green-Israel/People-and-The-Environment/Jewish-Boxer-Plants-Trees-in-Aminadav-Forest-near-Jerusalem. live.
  28. Web site: Champion Chabad boxer Dmitriy Salita visits Hebron. Hebron.com. 2016-01-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20160131080202/http://www.hebron.com/english/article.php?id=605. 2016-01-31. dead.
  29. Web site: News: Angulo vs Rosado; Hernandez vs Jones; Dmitriy Salita. Eastsideboxing.com. April 13, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20090717230227/http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=20476&more=1. July 17, 2009. dead.
  30. Web site: Golden Gloves Champ Dmitry Salita Jumping into the Business side of Boxing. Nydailynews.com. April 8, 2011 . Tim Smith. April 8, 2011. November 22, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131122035136/http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/golden-gloves-champ-dmitriy-salita-jumping-business-side-boxing-article-1.111446. live.

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