Yuri Foreman has hired legendary trainer Emanuel Steward to help him prepare for the first defence of his WBA world light-middleweight title against Miguel Cotto.

The Brooklyn-based Jewish fighter will link up with Steward at his famous Kronk gym in Detroit.

Foreman's manager Murray Wilson said: "It's official. Manny is going to help. It will only be for a couple of weeks, three at most."

Steward, who trained Britain's former world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, is currently working with Wladmir Klitschko, holder of the WBA and IBF heavyweight titles.

Manny Pacquiao, the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, is running scared of fighting unbeaten, light-middleweight Yuri Foreman.

After a bout against Floyd Mayweather Jr was scrapped, Foreman, Israel’s first world champion, was suggested as the Filipino's next opponent by promoter Bob Arum.

But Pacquiao’s camp fear that Foreman’s five and a half inch height advantage would make him an awkward opponent.

Dmitriy Salita, the previously unbeaten Jewish boxer who was floored by Muslim fighter Amir Khan in just 76 seconds on Saturday night, said this week that antisemitic chanting may have cost him the fight.

Speaking exclusively to the JC, Salita, who won his previous 31 bouts, said: “It was over before it started. I was in great shape and well prepared but the antisemitic chanting left me completely overwhelmed.”

Dmitriy Salita has vowed to bounce back from Saturday’s WBA light-welterweight title humbling against holder Amir Khan.

The Brooklyn-based fighter was blown away by a devastating flurry of punches from Khan who knocked him down three times in the first round. The first was a lightning left-right combination within 15 seconds of the opening bell. The fight, at Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena, was stopped after just 76 seconds.

The rabbi who accompanied boxer Dmitriy Salita to his fight against Amir Khan has expressed his shock at antisemitic abuse levelled at the Orthodox boxer and his supporters.

During the fight an Orthodox man was assaulted and abuse was hurled at Salita as he made his way to the ring.

The man from Manchester suffered a cut face when a drinks can was hurled at him along with antisemitic abuse during the Salita boxing match.

“After 76 seconds it was all hell let loose,” said the 45-year-old who wore a kippah to the fight.

Dmitriy Salita’s WBA light-welterweight title challenge ended in 76 dramatic seconds in Newcastle as holder Amir Khan produced the most sensational performance of his career.

The 27-year-old was knocked down three times, the first by a lightning left-right combination within 15 seconds of the opening bell at the Metro Radio Arena.

A dazed Salita never recovered and was subjected to a further barrage that saw him collapse to one knee after a devastating left had sent him reeling across the ring.