Orthodox Boxer Wins Title

http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c36_a17243/News/New_York.html

Yuri’s A Champion: Orthodox Boxer Wins Title

With God in his corner: Foreman after Saturday night’s unanimous victory.

by Steve Lipman
Staff Writer

11/17/2009

Yuri Foreman’s wife didn’t want him to spend much time working on Saturday night.

Before Foreman, fighting for the World Boxing Association super welterweight championship, stepped into the ring in Las Vegas against Puerto Rico’s Daniel Santos, Leyla Foreman made a request. “Do me a favor,” she said, “finish it quickly with a knockout.”

Foreman didn’t grant his wife’s wish, but he left the ring at the MGM Grand 12 rounds later with a unanimous victory and a WBA championship belt.

Foreman’s victory was a first in many ways. It was the first WBA title for an indisputably Jewish fighter since the golden age of Jewish boxing in the 1930s and the first one for an Israeli, the first-ever title for an Orthodox boxer or

a rabbi-in-training.

Sabbath observant, Foreman, 29, walked to the arena before sundown Saturday and made Havdalah in his dressing room.

“Physically, I feel a little bit sore. Spiritually, I’m still on cloud nine. It’s better than I expected,” Foreman told The Jewish Week Monday from Las Vegas. The native of Belarus who moved to Brooklyn a decade ago after his family settled in Israel, entered the arena to the recorded sounds of a shofar and exited to the waves of Israeli flags and the shouts of “Mazel tov!” from the Jewish, Puerto Rican and Filipino fans in the arena.

Foreman — who at 27-0 was a decided underdog against 34-year-old Santos, a three-time world champion and former Olympian —fought a more aggressive, more disciplined fight than the defending champ and appeared in better shape, according to all press accounts.

After the 11th round, after head butts suffered by both boxers, after knocking down Santos in the second round, he was clearly ahead on points. “Three more minutes,” his trainer told him in the corner, “and you’re a world champion.”

“Don’t get comfortable,” Foreman told himself.

“God,” he prayed silently, “please give me the strength to get through this round.”

After the referee a round later raised Foreman’s gloved hand as the winner, Foreman said another prayer, of thanks, and posed for photos in front of a large Israeli flag. He told reporters that his triumph shows “that Jews can fight,” then returned to his dressing room, where messages of congratulations streamed in. By e-mail. By cell phone. From Israel. From the U.S. “I had a lot of Facebook messages from friends in Russia and Belarus.”

Back in his hotel room, he called his father back in Haifa. It was about 5 a.m. in Israel. His father was getting ready to leave for work.

“Nu, dad,” Foreman said. “You have a son who’s a world champion.”

“I know,” his father said. “I watched the fight.”

An Israeli cable sports channel carried Foreman vs. Santos.

The title should silence critics who dubbed Foreman “Boreman,” faulting him for defensive, unexciting pugilistic style.

“It doesn’t concern me,” he said.

His victory, he said, showed “that you can be a professional fighter or an actor or a rock star and connect to God. One does not conflict with another.”

What’s next?

“Rest a little, let my wounds heal,” Foreman says.

Tomorrow he’ll sponsor a kiddush in the IYYUN Institute, the Brooklyn yeshiva where he’s studying for the rabbinate.

“Pretty soon” he’ll visit Israel to see his family.

A WBA title will help financially. A paid endorsement, for a clothing manufacturer, is in the works. His next payday, as the defending champ, will bring in more than Saturday’s $41,250; Santos, as the reigning titleholder, got $123,750. They fought on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto bout. “I think,” Foreman said, “it’s time to be a main event.”

Was his wife, who didn’t wish to see him battered for 12 rounds, bothered that the fight went the distance?
No, Foreman says. “I was aggressive” against Santos. “She was very satisfied with the performance.”