Boxing star Dmitry Salita, who recently lost his bid for the world championship, was knocked out again Monday, this time on the chessboard by chess master Natan Sharansky.
Salita is winding up his first-ever visit to Israel and met with Sharansky, the head of the Jewish Agency and a former Prisoner of Zion. Salita was born in the Ukraine and now lives in the United States. He is visiting with his wife and has expressed an interest in moving to Israel.
Sharansky and Salita discovered a common interest in chess after they met, and the Jewish Agency chairman invited Salita for a friendly match. The boxer was not aware that Sharansky once beat world chess champion Garry Kasparov but nevertheless held out or 20 moves until Sharansky trapped his king for a checkmate.
“I beat him in 20 moves, but I would not last 20 seconds in the ring with him,” Sharansky admitted after his victory. Salita invited him for a match in the boxing ring, but Sharansky said he would have to think about it.
IsraelNationalRadio's Walter's World program will feature an extensive interview with Dmitry Salita.