| Bolton´s Amir Khan makes the first defense of his | | | | lofty position in the rankings is down in no small part to |
| WBA light-welterweight title on December 5th at | | | | Bob Arum. Manny Pacquiao, the finest fighter in the |
| Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena. His opponent will | | | | world today, is the WBA´s number two contender, |
| be the official WBA number one contender, 27 year | | | | behind Salita. Make of that what you will. |
| old Dmitry Salita. | | | | So does the Brooklyn based Ukranian have a prayer |
| Click here to watch Amir Khan v Dmitry Salita | | | | against Khan? Well he certainly talks a good fight. |
| 22 year old Khan (21 – 1, 15 ko´s) is one of the | | | | Citing Khans devastating first round knockout loss |
| brightest stars in British boxing. But what do we know | | | | against Colombian Breidis Prescott in 2008, Salita says: |
| about his opponent? | | | | “His chin is definitely an area of vulnerability. It’s |
| Like Andriy Kotlenik, the man Khan defeated to win | | | | not just because of Prescott that he’s vulnerable. |
| the world crown in July, Salita is a Ukrainian. His family | | | | He has been knocked down a whole bunch of other |
| moved from Odessa to Brooklyn when Salita was | | | | times.” |
| nine years old, to escape the escalating violence | | | | The ´´whole bunch of times`` Salita is referring to |
| against Jews. He began boxing at thirteen, training at | | | | were a knockdown each against Willie Limond and |
| the Starrett City boxing club, frequented by Zab Judah, | | | | Michael Gomez, both rated punchers. “He |
| among others. He compiled an amateur career record | | | | definitely has a seed of doubt because of the |
| of 59-5, culminating in winning the 139 lb class at the | | | | Prescott defeat,” Salita continued. |
| New York Golden Gloves in 2001. He turned pro later | | | | “Making the move to Freddie (Freddie Roach, |
| that year, and is managed by Bob Arum. | | | | Khan´s trainer) was a smart move and helped him |
| Salita has fought exclusively in the US, and is unbeaten | | | | win the belt but I’m going to go in there to do my |
| in thirty one fights (16ko´s, one draw). However | | | | work and eventually he is going to get hit on the |
| since turning pro the record Salita has compiled reads | | | | chin.” |
| more like a ´´who´s he?`` than a ´´who´s | | | | Salita is an aggressive boxer-puncher, who lacks |
| who`` of boxing. The WBA are a notoriously political | | | | genuine knockout power. He likes to get up close and |
| organization, and one can only wonder if Salita´s | | | | mix it up. And he sounds tailor made for young Amir. |