By JTA and COLlive
A game but limping Yuri Foreman lost his World Boxing Association super-welterweight crown when the referee stopped the contest 42 seconds into the 9th round against Miguel Cotto at Yankee Stadium.
Foreman, who is learning for his Smicha (rabbinical ordination), was hit with a right hand to the body and slipped as he had several times earlier in the bout against the hard-punching Cotto at the Motzoei Shabbos game.
The first slip had occurred in the seventh round, when Foreman’s leg buckled under him in his own corner. From that point on he appeared to be in pain but continued to fight, JTA reprted.
A towel thrown into the ring, apparently by Foreman’s corner in a bid to stop the fight, was disallowed by referee Arthur Mercante Jr. in the eighth round.
Among the crowd of 20,000 were some Crown Heights residents and members of the IYYUN Center in Brooklyn’s Carroll Gardens, which is led by Chabad Rabbi Dov Ber Pinson and where Foreman learns.
Foreman entered the ring to a recording of the voice of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, singing “Tzama Lecha Nafshi” (“My soul thirsts for You” (G-d) – Psalm 63:1-3).
Foreman, who wears Tzizit and wraps Tefilin daily, pays a visit to the Ohel burial place of the Rebbe before every fight with Rabbi Pinson, Lubavitch.com reported.
“I’m a world champion — now a former world champion — and you don’t just quit,” Foreman said in the ring after the fight. “A world champion needs to fight.”
Cotto, now 35-2 with 28 knockouts, was the aggressor throughout the fight and was well ahead on all three scorecards when the bout was stopped. Foreman lost his first fight in his 30th bout.
obviously it was hashgacha pratis maybe that yid needed to hear it how do we know we should always be dan lchaf zchus
Al tadin es chaver’cho ad shesagia bim’komo!
Please people don’t judge Yuri or anyone! It does not help anyone really.
Who’s his Maspiah, who’s advising him.
For now he loses, but in the proccess, he sanctified G-d’s name with his tzitzis, bearded friends, chassidic opening, etc.
Dudes, Yuri can be looking at this and be offended! Why must you say mean things about him? He is a very good Jew!
the rebbe said himself bring gashmius into ruchnius!
The nigun as he walked in… man, that’s a great idea, I can just picture it… 20,000 people.
Just next time choose another one, like didan notzach or b’chol karnei rashoim… something more int une with the occasion of kicking…
go yuri, go. good luck for future fights
you think he would be safe to walk around??
Its so upsetting to read some of these comments, this is a guy that came from not being religious (keep in mind he starting boxing @ 8 to defend himself etc) he is know a guy who learns everyday to become a RABBI , never fights on shabbos , wherever he goes he always brings religion , Judaism into the situation always a positive light on it, ….to have a chabad niggun playing while entering the ring w so many booing hatters silenced , to put such pride on all the jews who were there watching is beautiful …it saddens… Read more »
that’s what we are we are lubavitch cassdim we make people frum we go out of our way if not for us he wouldn’t be doing smicha or wearing tztzis
not just a niggun they bought in, but the rebbe (nasie hador umashiach shebador) singing it!?!?!?
by the way – the word ‘i’ is capital , like this – ‘I’ 🙂 –
lets stay friends
How come there is no video any where???????? I am looking for it everywhere and I can not find it
Many people, including non Lubavitchers were very moved by the Niggun. They told me and they were there. Be that as it may, I respect Yuri and it was his choice, but me personally I would not do it, and I would not tell him to do it. I think it was over board.
if hashem gives you a talent you should use it out
go yuri it was a nice one thre but you dont always
have to win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
u 2 r sad ur not just going to have every single jew become chassidish ur probably not so much urselves
I think all the comments can be divided in 2. do you believe that it is inappropriate to involve the rebbe in unholy events or do you believe that it is a beautiful kidush hashem and kidush lubavitch to play a nigun of the rebbe for tens of thousands of people and to bring kedusha into every corner of the world. “bchol derochecha doeihu” I proudly want to agree side with the later
good try yuri hashem just id not want you to win
I personally think it’s a vile sport, but i don’t think what he is doing is wrong, everyone has their shlichus and place at different stages in their life. and when it is time for him to move on, he will. ( but then again would I call it a huge kiddush hashem?…….
Go Yuri, your the Best!
All these questions can be asked by his esteemed Rabbi, Rabbi DovBer Pinson and i am sure he can answer all these questions
Is it okay to voluntarily a. inflict injuries on others and b. expose oneself to injury? I thought that both were against halacha. However, this question was not brought up in any of the above comments. Can someone familiar with halacha please clarify?
I can’t stand how evry website I visit, says the same thing. How could it be that a frum yid is boxing, and looking at the negative aspect of everything. Do I agree that the rebbes voice, should be played there, lav davka, but the kiddush hashem that this guy as well as dmitri salita make is enormous. Yes, for someone ffb, boxing is not something that should be taken up, however for a baal teshuva who became frum after his career began, should he just drop it? The answer is no. By him going out there and fighting as… Read more »
sorry for breaking your record.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! x cotto
lets go yuri!!!!!!!!!!!!
After thinking it over i feel that perhaps a niggun would have been ok but to have the rebbe’s voice at a boxing match was not sucha great idea. in that regard i agree with 1&4&35. but otherwise, i feel that a boxing match is not the lowest level of klipah and that a Jew boxing or a Jew supporting another Jew boxing is not the same level of Korach. I did learn the sicha, btw, 35! probably was sitting next to you in 770 when i did. we can agree to disagree about whether or not boxing is beyond… Read more »
i agree totally!!!!!!!!!!!
HUGE kiddush hashem!!!!!!!!!!!
As long as one is advancing in their Yiddishket, they are on the right track. this is the guidance that was provided to Yuri by his mashpia. For a Bochur to engage in this activity, is definitely moving the wrong way… Having said that, I personally feel that the Rebbe singing Tzomah Lecho Nafshi in such a setting is inappropriate. We wouldn’t be impressed if in the seventh inning stretch at Yankees stadium, they all of a sudden played it. There is a time and place for everything. While Yuri’s remarkably brave performance and Kiddush Hashem with Shmiras Shabbos etc.… Read more »
I think evryon should keep ther opnions to there selfs and not judge other people.
why is 9 wrong. you obviously believe that the boxing match is too low, too klipadic, to be refined. so why is it ok to have menorah lightings at bascketball games and have a rabbi blow a shofar at a baseball game or a Jewish Singer beat boxing at drug using concerts? where do you draw the line. and even if you draw a line still thousands of people will disagree with you. i agree that there is a certain level that it is better for us not to go to but boxing isn’t it and more strongly represents what… Read more »
It’s really sad. It’s definitely not the place for a Yid and for a Rebbe’s niggun. To associate the Rebbe with such things??? With brutality??? And no, n°37, there is no Kiddush Hashem in what he did. And worse of all, he associates Chabad (the Rebbe’s nuggun) with Tziyonus (the Israeli flag)..
its unreal how people have know clue what the rebbe is about
theres no way in a comment here can you can explain it.
the rebbe belongs everywhere
anyone having a problem with ,clearly has no clue about the rebbe and yiddishkeit.
its time people start learning chasidus and understand what its all about.
what a shame,still in our times, they just dont have a clue
Yes, for you this might be the wrong thing to do. But the Rebbe encouraged Baalei Teshuva to bring light to their old fields.
Just think about how revolutionary Piamenta and Raya Menhemna’s music was next to Nichoach. I’m sure people had the same reaction as you. But the Rebbe encouraged them to continue.
I was there and it was a Hugh kiddush hashem!!!
So small minded pol open rue eyes and stop bashing…
Shmuli
blah balh blah its not the palce for the rebbes niggun/???! of cource it is its a kidush hsashem aeveryone haers hte rebbes vocie!
This guy made & is making a Kiddush Hashem as a boxer. For all the critics Behashgocho Pratis he is a boxer. Now he is using his talent in an aideleh way. The goyim around me were talking in a very positive way about him & they spoke about his humility. As mentioned already there was a lot of booing when he came in when the Rebbe”s voice came on the place became silent and as the fight progressed I felt people became more respectful of a Yid!
spell it any other way than cossack… 😛
To number 9: Firstly, the following is said with love! It looks like you only learned this sichos on Shelach. Try the ones on Korach, especially volume 8 in Likutei Sichos. The Kuf of Korach represents people who go too far down, like the leg of the kuf, into kelipah “the real world” to pick up the sparks. This is why the Rebbe said Asei lecha Rav!!! So we don’t come up with our own bubbeh maisehs and fall beneath the line.
Hashem bless you with much success and clarity.
yuri has a shliach who is a very capable mentor
we have to let his shliach decide whats right that the way the rebbe wanted it to be
I think the saddest part of this is that ppl are even asking what’s wrong with that? If we can’t understand what COULD be wrong with bringing the Rebbe in to such a place then we have a much deeper problem then anyone thought. I’m not gonna say an opinion abt the whole idea of him being a boxer. There are two ways to look at it tho. 1. Its good for him as he’s coming closer, its a kidush hashem (for those that think so) etc 2. Its not a place for a jew full stop! Especialy if he… Read more »
i saw the match he is a warrior cant wait till his next big fight
Yuri was behind on all three scorecards when the fight was stopped. Two of the judges had him losing 7 rounds to 1 and one had him down 6-2. Either way the fight was unlikely to go his way unless he had thrown a knockout punch. But, he did look real good until his slip in terms of holding his own in the ring. Best of luck next time.
most of us couldn’t go into the world Mattisyahu does or into the world that Yuri does. But they have their shlichus for the Rebbe as does every other shaliach. How can someone who has read the Rebbe’s sichos possibly judge their fellow shluchim so harshly? To me their judgement says that they have yet to internalize the Rebbe’s messages about how each yid in HIS daled amos is supposed to effect the world.
I’m not sure I get your point… Yiddishkeit is about being a better boxer? Bringing Yiddishkeit to the “chutzah” doesn’t mean bringing the shmutz of the goyim into our world. That is exactly what this event was doing… making the shmutz acceptable to a generation that needs just the opposite. Using the voice of the Rebbe for this is chutzpa beyond the imagination of most average chasidim. The young generation is being led to believe that this is an appropriate atmosphere in which to hear the Rebbe sing. Wow… shame on you.
Toatelly agree with you, not the place for the Rebbe’s voice and not a place for the Rebbe’s Chassidim. Yiddishkeit is not about boxing… sorry! If a Shomer Torah chooses to be a boxer or to attend a boxing match, it is his own personal choice, hopefully – monitired and consulted with his Rov. However, don’t make of it an achievemnt and new level reached in spreading Yiddishkeit!!!
the Rebbeh also disliked his photo being posted everywhere, yet the Rebbeh tolerated this bec it gave inspiration to many jews
so to i\m sure the Rebbeh would see the positive in this and be glad that soo many jewish souls heard these holly words instead of the regular trash
We are not people to decide where is a place for a yid and where is not. Our job is to be at every possible place where there might be a yid and be there for them.
Perhaps you should look at it as a boxer who is coming closer to Yiddishkeit. I still agree on the 2nd point.
that was so out of place!!
If that’s not a place for a yid then this website is not a place for you
doesn’t mean it must be right now.
GO MOSHE PINSON
Bs”d The Rebbe gave a bracha for a championship to the tiny kibbutz team in Galil Elyon over the never defeated mighty Macabbi Tel Aviv basket ball team in 1993 . Betzalel Kupchik received the bracha only after several requests and only if he and others put tefillin on the players and the fans and publicized the idea of Moshiach. One must be infinitely patient , bittul , posess great mesiriot nefesh and persevere on your mission for the Rebbe. You cannot force a truly transcendent experience like the Rebbe’s blessing…, you first create a big enough vessel through a… Read more »
he should have used the niggun ” Up Cossack” instead
GO YURI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thats amazing!! but who likes boxing anyways its so dangerous
Its amazing 4 the rebbe 2 b @ sports game so inspiring 4 jewish ppl ther!!
why is it bad!?!
its just like a matisyahi concert bringing the Rebbe into not such kosher venues…just lubavitchers regular ones shouldnt go but chabad could go!
What’s wrong with the Rebbe at a boxing match if a Menorah can be lit at a hockey game, basketball game, etc?
Matisyahu brought “Tzomah L’Cha Nafshi” and the Rebbe’s inyonim through song into places where Jews are found yet even the Chabad Shluchim themselves wouldn’t frequent – how much more so, l’havdil, a boxing ring, where plenty of Jews will be?
I think a boxing ring is OK for the Shlichus, and for other people, it depends why they are going….
I love this man!!!
good point didnt think of that…………………..
maybe you guys are right about the niggun but i disagree about the first part. why should a yid not be a boxer? and if there is a yid who is a boxer why shouldn’t other Jews be there to support him? This last weeks parsha was all about teh meraglim not understanding that they need to uplift the real world and and make it spiritual not just live in a purely spiritual world. u obviously would missed that point. maybe the niggun was wrong but a frum Jew who also is a boxer will inspire a lot of people… Read more »
number 1 and 4
why would you say that ???
nigunim are there to hlep you whenever you need, and if he felt it would hlep him most to sing a niggun b/4 the match, i respect that completely and look up to him for it.
If you would be there you would not be able to say that!
When Yuri first started coming out the puerto rican fans were booing him, when the Rebbes voice came across the speaker system they just went silent and then you saw Yuri on the big screan singing along with a look of Hisboninus on his face, Hopefully the video will be posted.
Also: when Yuri kept on fighting after he hurt his knee, all the Goyim around me were saying, “Wow, this is a tough Jew”
Go Yuri! your an inspiration.
#4 and1 are sadly really really right.
This is not “rocky balboa” with the theme playing….
Ich halt, az mir darf zein mehr fohrzichtig with shem lubavitch and its kavod,
Just my thoughts…ah guteh voch
when are you guys finally going to learn what yiddisheikeit is about?
totally agree with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WE’RE WITH U MAN!!!!
YOU R THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! U ROCK
but like, is that right?
This is not the place for a yid and certainly not for the Rebbe’s niggun.