Foreman Wins In Vegas
Yuri Foreman has become the first Israeli to win a World boxing title after he defeated Daniel Santos to claim the WBA World light middleweight crown.
The aspiring rabbi took the title on a unanimous points decision, though twice floored his Puerto Rican opponent over the 12-round contest.
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"I worked hard for months to be at the peak of fitness. They were very exhausting, difficult months to both study for the rabbinate and practice, but now I know the hard work paid off and proved itself."
Draped in an Israeli flag moments before being presented with the belt, he said: "I'm very proud to do this for Israel, and for Brooklyn, and to show that Jews can fight. I think I need to prove to everyone, not just myself, to the whole world that Jews know how to fight, that Jews know how to give a good fight and not surrender. I said it right after the fight, when they pushed the microphones at me and the cameras clicked. I said I wanted to prove that Jews are not a weak people that can be made to bend down and surrender, that Jews know how to fight and win."
Having finally realised his dream in the ring, he's now set to complete his studies and become ordained in 12 months, with the plan being to return to Israel and take on the role of community rabbi, which will be combined with overseas trips to defend his world title belt. "It just shows that you can do many things, you can be a world champion and you can be a rabbi," he said. "I want to forget about boxing for a few good weeks. Later we'll start planning the next move. Now I want to enjoy a little quiet when I can dedicate myself to my rabbinic studies and enjoy having a world crown."
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