A “lifetime achievement” is how Dmitriy Salita described what being crowned IBF light-welterweight champion would mean to him ahead of tomorrow’s night title fight against Amir Khan.

Scheduled to walk into the ring to the tones of Matisyahu, Salita, 27, has handled a media frenzy in his usual calm and assured style since after touching down in England from his Brooklyn home at the end of last week. One of his first assignments was to visit the Kosher Deli in north west London. Then it was off to Tyneside.

Newcastle Hebrew Congregation’s Rabbi Dovid Lewis is helping boxer Dmitriy Salita prepare for the fight of his life.

Before the religiously observant Salita challenges Britain’s Amir Khan for the WBA light-welterweight title on Saturday night in Newcastle, Rabbi Lewis will be organising a Shabbat minyan and meal in the boxer’s hotel. The rabbi also hopes to attend the fight, along with members of the Newcastle and Gateshead communities.

During boxing’s golden years, almost a century ago, about one-third of professional fighters were Jewish. But when Dmitriy “Star of David” Salita steps into the ring in Newcastle on December 5 to face Britain’s Amir Khan he will be an anomaly — an Orthodox Jew who has used brawn, as well as no small amount of brains, to get to the top of his field. Salita, 27, lacks the hard-scrabble upbringing of some of his Jewish predecessors, such as Benny Leonard, Barney Ross, and Ted “Kid” Lewis, who were raised in the ghettoes of respectively New York, Chicago and London.

The big fight might be over a week away but Dmitry Salita has started the mind games after saying that he intends to take advantage of Amir Khan's vulnerable chin ahead of the WBA light-welterweight title fight on December 5.

Ukrainian-born Salita wants to follow Breidis Prescott's example from 2008 by knocking out Khan in the bout at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle.

"His chin is definitely an area of vulnerability," Salita said. "It's not just because of Prescott that he's vulnerable. He has been knocked down a whole bunch of other times.”

Joshua Burnham is the new British Amateur 58-60kg category champion.

Burnham, 16, won the British title for his weight, age and class at the Austin Rawlinson Sports Centre in Speke in Liverpool.

A member of Radlett and Bushey Reform Synagogue, Joshua started boxing at Bushey Amateur Boxing club, a successful gym run by Danny Shinkwin who has led several boys to championship titles, five years ago.

Under Shinkwin’s watchful eye, has become popular and respected fighter with an impressive and distinctive style.

Trainee Rabbi Yuri Foreman became the first ever Israel world champion when he lifted the WBA light-middleweight title in Las Vegas.

The 29-year-old Brooklyn-based Foreman, entered the ring as the underdog but boxed superbly to take a unanimous points decision over defending title-holder Daniel Santos.

“I’m very proud to do this for Israel and to show that Jews can fight,” said Foreman, the first Jewish world champion since Mike Rossman lifted the WBA light-heavyweight title in 1978.

Yuri Foreman became the first Israeli boxing world champion when he defeated Daniel Santos of Puerto Rico to take the WBA junior middleweight at the MGM Hotel in Las Vegas.

Foreman, a Belarus-born Israeli who has lived in Brooklyn for 10 years is studying to be an Orthodox rabbi. He won the 12-round bout by a unanimous decision - 116-110, 117-109 and 117-10.

Foreman, 29, went into the fight with a perfect 27-0 record. He was up against Santos, who had 32 victories to his name - 23 by knockout, three losses and one draw.

The first Israeli citizen ever to fight for a world boxing title will step into the ring in Las Vegas next week.

Yuri Foreman, 29, will take on Daniel Santos at the MGM Grand next Saturday as the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto fight. At stake is the World Boxing Association light middleweight crown.

Foreman is studying to become an Orthodox rabbi and is known as the ‘Lion of Zion’.

He immigrated to Israel from Belarus with his family in 1990, at the age of 10. Nine years later, he moved to New York to further his boxing career.

Dmitriy Salita believes he will take the WBA light-welterweight title from Amir Khan with the help of prayer.

Salita, an Orthodox Jew who puts his tefillin on every morning before training, said: “I’m going there to win. I 100 per cent pray for success in the ring. One day you can be champion of the world, the next you’re beaten up by some amateur.