Orthodox Stance

"If anyone wants a whupping from me, they got to wait until after sundown," says Ukraine-born welterweight boxer Dmitriy Salita, whose Orthodox Jewish beliefs are as central to his character as his will to win. But while Salita is a charismatic subject, Jason Hutt's documentary feels unfinished; still in his early 20s, Salita's life and career are works in progress.

Salita's family moved to Brooklyn when he was nine, looking to escape religious persecution and give their children opportunities they would never have back home. Salita began boxing when he was 13 at the Starrett City Gym in East New York, founded by trainer Jimmy O'Pharrow as a way to keep loc...