Amir Khan, the WBA light welterweight world champion, will fight against Dmitriy Salita this Saturday. Khan is from Bolton, England and is Muslim. Salita was born in Ukraine and now lives in Brooklyn, New York; Salita is Jewish.
It's important to remember that this is not a holy war; it's a boxing match. It's a boxing match between two rising fighters, who both need this win to reach the next level. With a win, Khan could move on to fight bigger names and garner worldwide attention. If Salita wins, he'll hold a belt and have the right to control his destiny.
But, with tensions between Muslims and Jews, this contest always has the possibility of fostering too much emotion among supporters of both men. It's shouldn't though. There's nothing wrong with backing your guy, and I'll be rooting hard for Salita, but not at the expense of the other guy's religion or ethnicity. There's something in boxing where, if a guy from your background knocks out someone from another group, many feel that suddenly your group is better than the other. That's not the case. It's perfectly acceptable to have pride when a member from your group triumphs, but a boxing match doesn't speak to a greater hierarchy of races, religions, or ethnicities.
And if you're Jewish or Muslim and still don't get it, just remember, after the final bell has rung, Khan and Salita will hug and they will congratulate each other on a tough fight. Just keep that in mind.
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