Salita scores stoppage win, refocuses on Malignaggi Barclay's bout

Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor

New Yorker still chasing October world title shot

Former world title challenger at 140lbs, Dmitriy Salita remains hopeful of landing a shot at Paulie Malignaggi’s WBA welterweight title after stopping Roberto Valenzuela within four rounds in Mobile, Alabama last night.

The 30 year-old, who now has four straight victories since losing to Amir Khan in 2009, was thought to be in frame for a huge all-Brooklyn showdown with Malignaggi at the Barclays Center in New York until negotiations began with Pablo Cesar Cano.

Cano, 22, who holds the interim WBA belt at light-welterweight, has now been put forward to face Joan Guzman for the full version after Marcos Maidana vacated and may prefer a bout with the Dominican to remain at 140lbs.

That would put an eager Salita back in the frame to face the ‘Magic Man’ and the Brooklynite is sure that the fight would generate the interest necessary to get the TV networks on board and approve the contest.

“From what I know the Cano-Paulie fight is not 100 per cent official and my fight will create a lot more buzz and interest, especially in NYC,” Salita told World Boxing News.

“I don't think that from a fan perspective the fight makes sense in New York. My fight with Paulie will result in major ticket sales and will really get boxing and non-boxing fans interested in this battle.

“There are so many interesting points to this fight. Most importantly, I want to show the world that I am ready for the world title.

"It felt great to be back! I had a really good camp at Kronk gym in Detroit and I had very competitive sparring - so I did not feel much ring rust and I was sharp from the beginning.

“I wanted to get this win to build up hype for a fight with Paulie. The Battle of Brooklyn on October 20^th is the perfect fight at the right time.”

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