In the first of a two-part special, Adam Smith tells the fascinating story behind the man taking on Amir Khan.
From rags to possible riches, Adam Smith plots Dmitriy's rise
It was a case of a trip down memory lane last week, as I ventured back to the tranquil setting of the Pocono mountains - just a couple of hours away from New York - and up at a high altitude, which is ideal for fighters preparing for their biggest tests.
The Poconos resort was the chosen location for many of Lennox Lewis' s training camps. Time and again over the years, we rocked up at Caesar's Resort to see Lennox, mum Violet, trainers Emanuel Steward and the underrated Harold Knight, best friend and conditioner Courtney Shand, and the rest of the backroom team - Patrick Drayton, Ron Hepburn and Scott DeMercado. For many fights, Frank Maloney was, of course, there too.
It was a professional and consummate set-up, which helped to fuel Lewis for many of his finest nights.
The altitude is a wonderful help; the peace and quiet even better. There really isn't much to do apart from run, eat, sleep, train, eat, sleep, train, eat, sleep, in a 24:7 cycle.
Dmitriy Salita has been locked away high in the Poconos for the last couple of months, and I travelled to America's East Coast to see him - after spending quality time on the West Coast with the champion he aims to dethrone Amir Khan.
It was a cool night drive to the Fernwood Resort in East Stroudsburg, near to where Lennox Lewis used to hone his body on Pocono mountain.
A dawn rise was needed to film Salita at work as he pounded the winding mountain roads, amidst the thin air, beautiful scenery and fascinating wildlife. The black crows were hovering over Dmitriy on his high-pace seven-mile run.
Intensity
I've met Dmitriy before, but hadn't had quality time with him until this trip. He has an incredible story and is one of the brightest, most intellectually astute fighters I've met. With that comes a certain intensity.
Dmitriy Salita is a sensible, composed and rounded young man. After the amazing journey he's undertaken, he's a remarkably settled individual. If he'd selected a slightly different route I am sure he could have joined the New York city slickers as a lawyer or accountant.
Dmitriy chose boxing, and it wasn't a bad decision. He stands unbeaten in 31 fights, with 16 knockouts.
Born in the Ukraine in 1982, Dmitriy remembers seeing Mike Tyson fight when he was just five. He got the boxing bug, but life was tough. He recalls being allowed a banana as a treat - but just once a month. He looked forward to them so much but years later - when now surrounded by the wonderful New York street markets - he can hardly bring himself to look at one.
He left Odessa still a child, when he was 9; the Jewish family had been victims of terrible anti-Semitism. The emigration to the States was hardly 'the American dream' as they re-located to Flatbush, a poor area of Brooklyn.
Bullied
Dmitriy and his brother Mikhail literally wore rags for clothes. Their mother Lyudmila was then devastatingly diagnosed with breast cancer and declined rapidly. A young Dmitriy used to sleep in a chair every night by her hospital bed.
He lost his beloved mum when he was just 13. Dmitriy was being badly bullied at school and even took his mother's maiden name of Salita - and not his father's of Lekhtman - to try and deter the baying mobs.
Dmitriy began boxing - partly for self-defence - as a teenager at the Starrett City club; an old-school, ghetto gym run by the enigmatic character and sizzling poker player Jimmy O'Pharrow (who's still as lively as ever at 84!). Dmitriy grew up around quality New York fighters like Shannon Briggs, Paulie Malignaggi, Luis Collazo and Monte Barrett.
Salita had a good amateur career, won the illustrious New York Golden Gloves tournament, and ended with an impressive slate of 59-5. He turned pro at 19 in the summer of 2001 and was initially guided by Top Rank. He was a major part of the Latin Fury cards, supporting the likes of Erik Morales. When his contract was up after four years he moved to Lou DiBella and is now with Roy Jones's Square Ring.
Dmitriy was, at one time, trained by the wonderful Oscar Suarez, best-known for working with Naseem Hamed and Acelino Freitas and who the boxing world lost at just 47 from pancreatic cancer. More tragedy for Salita to deal with. Like many, he adored Oscar and made sure he attended his funeral.
Respectful
In a slow-burning rise, Dmitriy captured the NABO light-welterweight belt, and beat decent men like Rocky Martinez, Grover Wiley, Derrick Campos and Raul Munoz. Salita's matured well in tough 10 and 12-rounders and he's also sparred with Floyd Mayweather along the way. He admits the five-weight world champion gave him 'a black eye or two'!
In his travels and experiences, Dmitriy took in none other than the Wild Card gym in Hollywood. Freddie Roach remembers him with fondness but obviously this is where Amir is now based. That spell in LA was some time ago, so the fighters' paths never crossed; in fact they first met at the Newcastle and London press conferences a few weeks ago and ended up chatting in a hotel until the wee hours! Good, honest and respectful pros.
Dmitriy Salita's the mandatory challenger for the WBA light-welterweight title, and has been waiting a long long time for this opportunity. He was desperate to face Gavin Rees when the Welshman held the title; and was then forced to wait again as Amir Khan got that summer crack at the experienced Ukrainian Andriy Kotelnik.
Patience has been Dmitriy Salita's virtue. He has worked long and hard to be bang-on for his date with destiny on December 5.
In Part Two we will look at Dmitriy's other passion - his fascinating life as an observant orthodox Jew...
