38 | SEPTEMBER 26 • 2024 

junior welterweight world title and 
International Boxing Federation 
and World Boxing Association 
international titles along with 
the North American Boxing 
Association light welterweight 
championship.
“Dmitriy was one of the top five 
fighters in the world in his weight 
class,” says Mark Taffet, president 
of Mark Taffet Media, who works 
alongside Salita to promote their 
mutual client, two-time Olympic 
Gold Medal winner and four-weight 
world champion Claressa Shields. 
“In addition to having superb 
boxing skills, Dmitriy had excep-
tional ring IQ and an unbreakable 
competitive will in the ring,” he 
added. “His focus was incredi-
ble, and he rarely made a mistake 
during a fight. He leverages those 
same attributes today as a boxing 
promoter.”
Through it all, Salita always man-
aged to keep kosher and refused to 
fight on Shabbat or Jewish holidays. 
He has often faced hate for his 
Orthodox Jewish identity, but says 
he’s been able to succeed and stay 
true to his faith and values “in a 
space where being a religious Jewish 
person is unusual.”
He remains an active part of the 
Chabad community of Detroit.

BRINGING ‘BIG TIME’ 
BOXING BACK
In the latest iteration of his career, 
Salita is still impacting boxing and 
still receiving accolades. He was 
recently named USBA Promoter of 
the Year at the International Boxing 
Federation convention in Puerto 
Rico.
The boxers he represents 
include Shields, who won World 
Boxing Council and World Boxing 
Organization heavyweight and 
light-heavyweight titles in July 
during her second big fight at Little 
Caesars Arena in Detroit, and other 
lesser-known fighters like rising 
junior middleweight prospect and 
Flint native Ardreal Holmes Jr., who 

had a fight Sept. 12 in Flint.
“Detroit is one of the hotbeds 
for boxing talent that’s been unex-
plored for a long time,” Salita says. 
“I have never seen such a crop of 
young and hungry fighters … I feel 
the next U.S.-born world champion 
will come from right here in greater 
Detroit and surrounding areas like 
Flint.”
This year, Salita launched a box-
ing series, “Big Time Boxing USA,” 
with broadcast partner DAZN, 
arranging fights and matchups that 
give up-and-coming prospects a 
platform to grow their reputation 
and fanbase. He believes his boxing 
career was his “education for right 
now.” No surprise, Salita’s current 
goal is to be the sport’s No. 1 pro-
moter.
“Dmitriy and his Salita 
Promotions are coming into their 
prime right now,” Taffet said. “I 
believe Dmitriy is poised to be 
among the top promoters of the 
sport for years to come, and it has 
been a real pleasure watching him 
grow and expand as he takes his 
place among the sport’s royalty. I 
am proud to call him a friend and 
wonderful business partner.”
A long way from Brooklyn and 
his early struggles, Salita says the 
Big Time Boxing series has become 
the premier developmental platform 

for young fighters in the U.S. And 
he says he’s grateful for the United 
States, which gave him opportuni-
ties.
“Even though it’s not easy and 
there are challenges, who you are 
will not stand in the way of who 
you become — and that to me is the 
American dream,” he says. “The law 
of the land allows you to progress 
and be true to yourself and be an 
individual and that’s why America is 
the best country in the world.”

Salita expects a growing audience 
of big in-person crowds and viewers 
watching the live and on-demand 
sports streaming platform DAZN 
to see his Michigan-based Big Time 
Boxing matchups that can make or 
break his fighters’ careers. 
In true promoter style, he says, 
“You don’t want to miss it.” 

To learn more about Salita Promotions, visit 

salitapromotions.com.

Salita wins the World 
Boxing Foundation 
junior welterweight 
world title in 
November 2008.

World-rated boxers Michel 
Rivera and Shohjahon 
Ergashev are pictured with 
Salita (center).

continued from page 36

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