Who says Jews can't fight? From USA TODAY:
LAS VEGAS — Yuri Foreman, the fighting rabbi-to-be, remained undefeated and made history Saturday night when he became the first Israeli to hold a major boxing belt, defeating Daniel Santos by unanimous decision for the WBA super welterweight title at the MGM Grand Arena.Despite his unblemished record, Foreman came in as the underdog to Puerto Rican fight Santos, who had a victory against Antonio Margarito on his resume.
But the 34-year-old Santos had not fought in nearly 18 months and had trouble getting down to the 154-pound weight limit. He looked rusty and slow, and the much quicker Foreman, 29, took advantage, pursing him for most of the fight and connecting often with combinations. Foreman sent Santos to the canvas in the second round as the stunned crowd, many of them Puerto Ricans here to watch countryman Miguel Cotto in the main event later against Manny Pacquiao for the WBO welterweight title, remained quiet.
Santos went down a couple more times in the middle rounds, but the referee ruled them slips.
Foreman's quickness allowed him to duck several of Santos' roundhouse swings throughout the fight, and the Puerto Rican was clearly becoming frsutrated. An accidental head butt by Santos opened a cut above Foreman's right eye in the third round, and Santos received his own cut in the 11th round on another accidental head butt.
Foreman scored another knockdown in the 12th round and when the final bell rang, jumped for joy, knowing he had beaten the odds and became the first Israeli champion and first Jewish champion since Mike Rossman in 1978. Foreman was born in Belarus and emigrated to Israel at age 11, then to Brooklyn at 19.
"I'm very proud to do this for Israel, and for Brooklyn, and to show that Jews can fight," Foreman said.
Jewish Internet Defense Force: (VIDEO) Rabbi-to-be, Yuri Foreman Becomes 1st Israeli World Boxing Champ!
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Boxing
via thejidf.org
