NEW YORK (JTA) — Dmitriy Salita will make his return to the ring in a boxing card he is promoting.
Salita, 28, an Orthodox Jewish boxer from Brooklyn, N.Y., said at a news conference Tuesday that he will fight Sept. 1 at the Oceana Hall in Brooklyn, the venue of his first professional bout.
Salita has not fought since being stopped by Amir Khan in December in the first round of their World Boxing Association light-welterweight title bout in England.
He said he is acting on his interests in the business side of boxing and organizing a fight card in Brooklyn, where he grew up and where his most ardent fan base is located.
“It’s important for the business side of boxing to have new blood,” Salita said at the news conference in midtown Manhattan. “I’m in the gym, I see the boxers. There are so many talented boxers who never get the opportunity.”
After developing the Dmitry Salita Center in conjunction with Ezra USA as a way to help Russian Jews connect with Israel, as well as a boxing program with the JCC of Bensonhurst in Brooklyn, Salita is now “looking forward to getting back in the ring and growing with the company,” he said.
Salita (30-1-1), the top-ranked contender when he fought Khan, will move up to the 147-pound limit for the Sept. 1 fight after fighting previously at 140 pounds.
“I know that I have to make a statement; I understand that I need to look impressive and show that I’m back,” Salita said. “My inspiration is back more than ever.”
The card, titled "Redemption," also will feature four-time New York Golden Gloves champion Will Rozinskiy, who is 12-0 as a pro. The card will air exclusively on The Jewish Channel.
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