JTA: The Global News Service of the Jewish People

After prayer and punch, Foreman takes Jewish victory lap

By Marc Brodsky and Gil Shefler · November 19, 2009

Yuri Foreman used his time wisely between rounds of his super welterweight world championship bout against titleholder Daniel Santos. Not only did he take liquids and instruction from his corner, the Orthodox rabbinical student sought some divine assistance in the last 10 seconds of each 60-second break of the 12-rounder.
“God, please give me strength,” was his simple invocation.

Foreman related this tidbit at a reception in his honor Thursday at a posh kosher steakhouse on New York’s East Side. The night before he was the guest of honor at a Jewish National Fund gala.

Think of it as an ethnic-themed victory lap for Foreman, 29, who found enough strength to win a unanimous decision the night of Nov. 14 in Las Vegas for the World Boxing Association crown. The Brooklyn boxer, via Belarus and then Israel, moved to 28-0 since turning pro seven years ago, even though most prognosticators figured he would fall to Santos.

He says in the ring he turns very spiritual, gets “very close to God,” because “another guy wants to take your head off.”

Santos didn’t take off Foreman’s head, but the new champ, clad all in black for the Prime Grill fete featuring some sumptuous steak and chicken, did need 18 stitches (of course it was 18) to close a cut over his left eye.

The new champ’s spiritual mentor, Rabbi DovBer Pinson, says no other fighter can “balance spirituality and physicality” like Foreman, who he praised as a “gentle lion” breaking a lot of stereotypes about boxers and Jews.

What’s next for Foreman? He said he’d have to consult with his “second rabbi” and promoter, Top Rank’s Bob Arum (Hebrew name: Reuven Moshe ben Shlomo, we found out).

And should Foreman ever fight in Israel, Arum already has the bout named: “Next Year in Jerusalem.”

Attendees at the JNFuture's 3rd annual gala event didn’t have to wait that long to hang out with the new champ. He was the guest of honor at the event, held at a club in New York’s Soho district.

Organizers of the gathering, aimed at raising money for environmental causes in Israel, had booked Foreman well in advance of his title fight and were thrilled to have him there on one of his first public appearances since his victory in Vegas.

"It's amazing to have him here," said Gabrielle Carlan, one of the JNFuture promoters. "We've got a good turnout of 200-plus people, more than we had last year."
Foreman's wife, Leyla, told JTA at the event that she remained unusually calm during her husband's fight.

"Most fights I'm very tense," the Hungrian-born former model said. "But this time I had a good feeling. He had done all the training and all the praying right, what more could he do?"

Now eyes are on another observant Orthodox Jewish boxer with a shot at claiming a world champion boxing title, as Brooklyn's Dmitriy Salita prepares to square off against champion Amir Khan in London on Dec. 3.

If Salita manages to defeat the heavily favored Khan in his own backyard, it would make an already great year for Jewish boxing even better.