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Salita: hate chants floored me

December 10, 2009 11:57
Salita hits the deck

By

Anonymous,

Anonymous

1 min read

Dmitriy Salita, the previously unbeaten Jewish boxer who was floored by Muslim fighter Amir Khan in just 76 seconds on Saturday night, said this week that antisemitic chanting may have cost him the fight.

Speaking exclusively to the JC, Salita, who won his previous 31 bouts, said: “It was over before it started. I was in great shape and well prepared but the antisemitic chanting left me completely overwhelmed.”

Rabbi Dovid Lewis, of Newcastle United Hebrew Congregation, accompanied Salita, wearing his traditional Magen David-decorated shorts, from his dressing room to the ring. He said: “We were shocked at the vitriolic abuse shouted at Dmitriy. It was antisemitic swearing and spitting with a lot of pushing and pulling.”

A man from Manchester, who was wearing a kippah and sitting among the Khan supporters, suffered a cut face when a can was flung at him along with antisemitic abuse.