Salita returns on Rahman-Toney March 18th undercard in A.C.

RC: What’s going on Dmitriy?
DS: Everything is good I am getting ready for a fight on March 18th, it is going to be on the James-Toney Hassim Rahman undercard in Atlantic City and I am excited about it. I started training, I am getting in shape and I am expecting a big year.

RC: Do you know who you will be fighting yet?
DS: No I do not.

RC: The last time we spoke, which was after your last fight against Robert Frankel. You said you wanted to come back and face someone in the top 15, being that this fight won’t be televised will you still be looking to take on an opponent of that caliber off T.V.?
DS:  I am looking to face the best possible opponents they can get. If they can get someone of that caliber then that would be awesome, but if not then I am just going to do my thing. I don’t want to stay out of the ring for too long and not be busy so I am just going to do what I have to do and I know that in the future they are a lot of positive looking things that I am excited about. I can tell you that definitely this year and within the nest few months, people are going to see me in with Top opposition and taking care of business and this is my year to prove that I am the best.

RC: It’s clear that your plans are to solidify yourself this year as a top prospect looking to turn contender, but can you give us an idea of what are some of the big plans you have in 2006?
DS: Yes I am hoping to land a fight on one of the major networks in the very near future. God willing after the March 18th fight, and I am sure that opportunity will open a lot of doors for me and lead to many exiting things.

RC: To the best of my knowledge your promoter Lou DiBella has nothing to do with this upcoming March 18th show, and I recently heard rumblings that HBO is very interested in a fight with you on one of their boxing after dark shows. Did your team coincidently put you on this show so that the HBO suites can take a closer look at you on the March 18th undercard?
DS: Well it is a change of pace. I fought on Broadway boxing all year pretty much, and I think it is important to get out of that for right now, and being that their doesn’t seem to be any other opportunities in a close fragment of time and we wanted to squeeze in a fight before April which is when Passover starts and that will be another time when I will be unable to train. So we had to squeeze in a fight before then, and being that I still have a very good relationship with Top Rank, and Lou DiBella and I have sat down and discussed it and thought that this was the best move. It was great of him to speak with Bob Arum and for Bob Arum to put me on the card. It is a great opportunity and it is a very positive thing and I am excited about it.

RC: This will be your first fight on a Saturday night in long time, the last time you actually fought on a Saturday it was in Atlantic City. How does that change things for you in your preparation. We know that you are an Orthodox Jew and on Friday nights you have to be in your home by a certain time. How does all of that change things now, I know that you can still weigh in before the time you have to be in on Friday night, but if you were fighting on a Thursday like you have been, you would weigh in on a Wednesday and it is a regular day for you. But this time, after the weigh in on Friday night you have to start your Sabbath. Going into a different routine now, will that throw you off from what you would normally have to do after a weigh in where you would normally go eat and replenish your body?
DS:  Well actually you have to understand that my first 19 or so fights have been pretty much all on a Saturday night and a lot of it has been on cards on the west coast where the time is different. So I have really gotten use to that scenario and it works out very well actually, because on Saturday, on Sabbath I get to rest. I eat and I drink and my phone is off and there is no T.V. or anything like that and I am just able to completely focus and get into myself, and get away so to say. It is really like a change of pace and a mental outlook and it really helps me focus and get ready for the fight.

RC: So in other words it’s more beneficial for you going back to fighting on Saturday nights?
DS: Yes it is good. It doesn’t affect me in any negative way. It is a positive thing. The thing is being that a lot of my fights especially in the beginning of my career were under such circumstances and with experiences in every fight you learn different things about yourself, and about what you have to do to have the best performance under those given circumstances.

RC: There have always been talks about what would be a great New York fight; or rather I should say a great fight for boxing period with between you and your good friend Paul Malignaggi. Can you give us your thoughts on his recent performance this past Friday night on ESPN against Donald Camarena?
DS:  I am very happy for Paulie. He has been looking great in the gym and it is great he overcame his hand injury and that he was able to performance again. Paulie has a lot of critics and I think that he proved a lot of them wrong with his last performance. Paulie is a very talented guy, and just like you said it would be great NY fight, but it actually has the potential to develop into a great fight for boxing like you said and I think the time for it to happen is then, when it matures itself, it would be a great fight for boxing.

I was telling everybody that I had a good feeling about Paulie’s performance. He works very hard and he has been looking very very sharp in the gym, I think it is the best that I have ever seen him look. And you know, Paulie really really has developed and gotten better. He overcame a lot of criticism and represented and did his thing, so shout out to Paulie and his performance.

RC: Is there anything else you would like to add in closing?
DS: I want to thank you Ray Campbell, and I want to thank Boxingtlak.com for always spreading my word, and I look forward to March 18th, it is going to be a great show and I think it is going to be a great night of boxing.

Also be sure to check out Dmitriy’s new and IMPROVED website for all of your boxing needs @ www.dsalita.com featuring Strength and conditioning expert Dave “Scooter” Honig’s  Scooter's Corner, Salita’s Highlight Video clips and much much more…..

 

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