Dmitry Salita To Attempt A Boxing Comeback

Two and a half years ago, Orthodox Jewish boxer, and rabbinical student, Dmitry Salita, fought Amir Khan for the WBA welterweight title - unfortunately Salita lost the bout. He lost it badly. After that failed attempt at the title, Salita imposed upon himself a sort of exile from boxing.

It must be difficult to make a comeback after a 2.5 year break, but that is what Dmitry Salita is now trying to do.

Salita announced that he is making a comeback, and is going to schedule a fight in July and then make a run for the WBA title against Paulie Malignaggi later in the year.

From the World Boxing News website:

Former WBA light-welterweight title challenger Dmitriy Salita is ready to end his self-imposed exile from the sport and challenge fellow-Brooklynite Paulie Malignaggi in a huge New York bout later this year.
The 30 year-old, who was stopped by Amir Khan in one round in his first world title tilt three years ago, has taken time out of the sport to spend time with his family and recharge his batteries and is now ready to return.
“Fighting Paulie for his title is my goal.  We've even talked to each other about it. Paulie would like it to happen also,” Salita told World Boxing News.
“I would like to have a fight in July and then Paulie for the title. That is my goal.  I'm hearing that Golden Boy is opening the new arena in Brooklyn, The Barkley Center with Brooklyn boy Paulie defending his title.
“What could be better than Brooklyn boy Dmitriy as the challenger? Wouldn't New York be excited over that?”
Ukraine-born Salita has won all three of his contest since his solitary loss to Khan and could conceivably put himself in line for a rematch with the Briton when he moves up to 147lbs later this year.
‘Star of David’ will have to come through a summer return before being considered for a WBA title challenge, but remains focused on his comeback and dreams of finally becoming a world champion in 2012.
 “I hope to be wearing the WBA championship belt around my waste. I might even sleep with it on the first few nights,” he added.

I wish Salita much luck in his comeback. It's going to be tough. In today's world we don't think of boxing as much of an appropriate sport for a nice Jewish boy, let alone a rabbinical student. In the 40s and 50s there were a lot of Jews in boxing (though I don't know if any were rabbinical students). Alas, times have changed, and there are not all that many any longer. 

One could say Dmitry Salita is forging a new path for Jews in sports, but in reality he is reviving an old path. Despite the strangeness of a rabbinical student fighting as a boxer, I wish Salita much luck and success. 

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