The impact of forward and backward amplification schemes on the generation of optical similaritons has been numerically and experimentally investigated around 1550 nm using a fiber-based Raman amplifier. The pumping configuration does not affect the similariton nature of the output pulse, but it significantly influences the characteristics of the pulse. Shorter and higher peak-power similaritons are obtained using a backward pumping scheme. The study of the influence of the initial pulse energy also highlights the higher pumping efficiency obtained in the case of counterpropagating amplification.