Salita: Yuri Foreman Was Gutsy

By COLlive reporter
Photos by Alex Gorokhov – Glatt & Art Photography

Yuri Foreman gave “a gutsy performance” at the Motzoei Shabbos match, Dmitriy Salita said in a first response to the defeat of his friend, also an Orthodox Jewish boxer.

Salita spoke to COLlive.com at the inauguration of the Ezra USA Youth Center on Sea Breeze Avenue in Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach, which was named after him.

The Salita Center is the latest breakthrough for Ezra USA, which has enjoyed unparalleled success through social and educational programming that strengthens Jewish identity and connects young Russian-speaking Jews to Israel.

With thousands of young Russian Jews at risk of assimilation, Ezra USA’s work is critically important, Danny Ayalon, Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister, said at the opening ceremony Sunday.

Salita said that regardless of the result of Foreman’s match against Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto, “the event was socially positive for Jewish culture.”

“The progression and acceptance of Judaism in the last 10 years since I turned professional as a religious Jew is incredible. I personally faced many logistical struggles with observance on my way up.”

Salita, a world championship contender himself, said that while watching the face off at Yankee Stadium, “I witnessed that the seed that was planted more than 10 years ago is sprouting and has a greater effect, not just on myself but on others.”

Foreman will have surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee, an injury sustained in the fight.

Dr. Gerard Varlotta, who assessed Foreman’s right knee and will oversee his treatment, expects the boxer to make a full recovery and believes surgery will not only save his career but could also increase his punching power.