Exclusive Interview with Dmitriy Salita June 22nd

picture (c) boxnews.com.ua

mma365.com: You’re heading out to training camp next week, any news on who your opponent might be?
Dmitriy Salita: They have offered to fight a few different guys, but I haven't heard anything concrete on who the opponent is going to be.

mma365.com: Are you going to be training in the Pocono’s with Maskaev's camp?
Dmitriy Salita: The place where I go is called Frenwood Resort. Yes, Oleg Maskaev is up there right now, and I think Ike Quartey is up there, I've been up there five or six times, and I love it because its a really great place to be focused, but its still close to home.

mma365.com: Would you say the mountains are beneficial up there, because you run at higher altitudes?
Dmitriy Salita: Yeah, I think the altitude is a just a little bit higher than it is here, I don't think its very high, but the air is allot cleaner, and because of the mountains the run is very intense. It’s just a very great atmosphere to train in and get in great shape.

mma365.com: Your last few fights have been at the east coast, while at the beginning of your career you fought exclusively at west coast venues, where do you prefer fighting, and where would you say you get the most fan support?
Dmitriy Salita: I definitely prefer to fight here at the east coast, especially in New York City. This is where I grew up and most of my amateur career took place, and the fans here have shown me a tremendous amount of support. Yes definitely, I love to fight here and I hope the fights are going to get bigger, and the venues are going to get bigger, and the fans are going to show up for support.

mma365.com: How has training with Oscar Suarez and Jimmy O'Pharrow been like?
Dmitriy Salita: Well actually I haven't been training with Oscar for a long time now. I'm training with Jimmy and Harry...it's been very good. I've known Jimmy since I first walked into the gym, so we have a very good relationship for many many years, and I know Harry for many years, so it’s good.

mma365.com: What do you think about weight training for boxing, beneficial or harmful?
Dmitriy Salita: I think it’s very beneficial, I've been doing weight training for boxing right before I turned pro, right before I fought in the golden gloves, and there was a tremendous improvement in my performance. I think that boxing over the years boxing has learned less in scientific advantages than other sports have gained from, unlike in mma, I think that they have allot more exercises for weight training and conditioning than boxing.

mma365.com: A question from one of your fans, at one point there were some rumors about a movie to be made about you. Do you know anything about it and is it still in works?
Dmitriy Salita: Its in the works, actually the writer, Gregory Allen Howard, he is in the process of rewriting the script, so I think its going to take a little more time. At this point of time I'm concentrating more on my boxing career. That’s a big compliment to me, it’s the icing on the cake, but I'm just more focused about boxing and performing well, and I'm not worried about that (the movie) at this point in time. When it’s going to happen, when it’s going to come, I'll be ready for it, but for now it’s just boxing.

mma365.com: Another question from your fan, you do not fight on Saturdays, do you think it might set back your career at some point?
Dmitriy Salita: I don't think so because most of the fights take place on Saturday nights, I can fight no problem. It just has to be worked out. Its allot easier once you start fighting the big fights, especially the main events, you don't fight until the night time anyway. But, when I was coming up it was very hard, because I really didn't have any time to warm up. I spent either a little time in the locker room, or too much time in the locker room. I remember, I think it was my second pro fight, at the Klitschko under card in Las Vegas and because I couldn’t fight, I fought after the main event, and I was in the locker room for four hours. I think right now it should be a bit easier now.

mma365.com: Your last fight, you were knocked down twice by Romon Montano, but the result of the fight was a draw where you held out all eight rounds in a tough bout. Against Robert Frankel you also were down early, but went on to win. What did you learn from those bouts?
Dmitriy Salita: I learned, definitely for the last fight I grew up physically, mentally, and psychologically. I think that allot of things happened leading up to that fight. Part of growing personally and physically is to learn from such experiences, and I'm glad that it happened now as opposed to later, and I've learned my lessons, and I've adjusted what I've had to do training wise. There comes a time in a person’s life when everybody goes through difficult times. At that particular time I probably shouldn’t be fighting, but I went against my better judgment, and those were the results.

mma365.com: Are you going to remain at welterweight, or move back down to light welterweight?
Dmitriy Salita: I'm not sure about that yet. I'm tempted to stay at welterweight, but I'm just going to see whets out there, and it will all depend on that.

mma365.com: What are your thoughts on the recent success of Eastern European boxers in boxing?
Dmitriy Salita: In amateur boxing, Cuba and Russia and all those countries have always been doing very well. Now that professional boxing is allowed there, it will take a bit of time for them to adjust, but their school of boxing is very strong. If Oleg Maskaev knocked out Rahman there would be four heavyweights coming from the former Soviet Union. I think, Kostya Tszyu said in one of his interviews that "Russia has a very strong school of boxing". I think they will change the world.

mma365.com: Wladimir Klitschko and Valuev are both looking to headline in New York, specifically at MSG, has your manager Israel Lieberow worked on getting you on the under card, and would you be interested in fighting on the under card if these two boxers come to fight here later this year?
Dmitriy Salita: I definitely would be interested in fighting on that card; we haven't been approached for fighting on that card. Some time down the road, or maybe a few fights down the road, I'd like to headline at the Garden (MSG) myself.

mma365.com: Thank you for the interview, and good luck against whomever your opponent will be.
Dmitriy Salita: Thank you.