Israeli boxing prodigy David Kaminsky training in December 2017. Photo: Screenshot.

Veteran Jewish boxing promoter Bob Arum disclosed this week that he hopes to hear “the shofar blown before a fight” for only the second time in his long career – and he is placing his hopes in a 17 year-old Israeli boxer to pull that off.

Arum – who represented legendary US boxer Muhammad Ali in the 1960s – is the founder of the Las Vegas-based Top Rank boxing promoters, whose roster of world class fighters has included George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard and Floyd Mayweather Jr. On Wednesday, Top Rank announced the signing of the second-youngest fighter ever to join its books – Israeli boxer David Kaminsky, an 11th grader who now lives and trains in Tarzana, California, at his father’s gym.

Arum told ESPN that he wants to lead another Jewish fighter to a world title, as he did with former junior middleweight boxer Yuri Foreman in 2009.

“Only once in my career did I hear the shofar blown before a fight, when Yuri fought Miguel Cotto at Yankee Stadium in 2010, and I want to hear that again,” Arum said of Kaminsky’s signing.

A southpaw (left-handed) boxer in the tradition of fighters like Marvin Hagler and Manny Pacquiao, Kaminsky is making his professional debut on Saturday night, in a four-round bout against Rafael Munoz (1-2-1, 0 KOs) on the Top Rank ESPN card at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Kaminsky, who won 94 out of 102 contests as an amateur, excited Arum’s scouts with the speed and precision of his blows. In sparring bouts with professional fighters, Arum observed, Kaminsky had acquitted himself well.

“He has all the qualifications and recommendations from the people I rely on,” Arum said. “And he’s a nice boy and his father is a boxing guy, so I have high hopes for him.”

Kaminsky expressed delight with the signing. “I have worked for this day my entire life and I wouldn’t want to be with any other team,” the youngster said. Describing his boxing style and training routines, Kaminsky reminded upcoming opponents that he packs a punch. “I like to hit with power,” he said.

The 17 year-old, who is home-schooled, also has ambitions to represent Israel at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Watch Israeli boxing prodigy David Kaminsky in training: